Wayne Rooney, the legend of English football, will be the new coach of Birmingham until June 2027. After a season as coach of DC United of the MLS, he returns to England to try to raise Birmingham to the Premier League, currently sixth in the Championship.
Before coaching in Washington, Rooney began his career as a coach at Derby County, a club that he was about to save from relegation to League One (English third division) but which would end up being relegated due to a 21-point penalty due to financial problems. .
The 37-year-old former England captain will take the reins of the Championship club on a significant three-and-a-half-year contract. The move follows the departure of John Eustace, who was relieved of his role as Blues coach earlier this week after a 15-month tenure.
"I am delighted to be joining Birmingham City Football Club at such an exciting time. It is very clear that they have a plan and are committed to realizing their ambition for the club. We are completely on board with what is expected of us. I have been building my managerial career, putting myself in difficult environments, to prepare for this opportunity. It is a project that gives me purpose and I am eager to get started," Rooney said in the official statement.
The club suffered financial problems in recent years, until Tom Wagner bought a large part of the team last summer. Since then, the 'Peaky Blinders' entity has received financial support from stars such as one of the best players in NFL history, Tom Brady. A support that has ensured the existence of the club and that has avoided scoring sanctions.
