Tom Brady and the rest of Birmingham’s board have been accused of thinking “they knew everything” prior to making a costly mistake with Wayne Rooney.
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Ex-England captain appointed in October 2023Lasted just 15 games at the helmBlues now chasing promotion out of third tierFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Back in October 2023, the Blues – with NFL legend Brady investing in the club alongside chairman Tom Wagner – decided to make a change in their dugout. A big name was sought, to match their sizeable ambition, and the reins were handed to Manchester United and England legend Rooney.
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He lasted just 15 games, across 83 days, at the helm before being unceremoniously sacked. The demise that he started ultimately cost Birmingham their Championship standing, with the West Midlands-based outfit now competing with the likes of Wrexham in League One.
WHAT FORMER CEO SAID
Keith Wyness, a former Premier League CEO at Everton, has told of why the Blues got things very wrong: “Birmingham is a great example of owners who thought they knew everything about football, hired Wayne Rooney and ended up in League One. That’s a serious example of what can go wrong when you act too quickly. They made some big mistakes. American owners can do that, but any nationality can do that – there have been terrible British owners as well. It’s a desire for success, but the way to that in football isn’t always so quick.”
Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT?
Birmingham have spent big in their bid to bounce back into the second tier – seeing off Wrexham in their first ‘Hollywood derby’ of the season – while Rooney is still working in the Championship after taking on another big challenge at Plymouth. Next up for the Blues is a home clash with Peterborough on Saturday.