Wayne Rooney’s stint as a manager of Birmingham City has come to an abrupt end. The English club fired Rooney on Tuesday after a 3-0 defeat to Leeds United that stretched their loss streak to nine games.
Birmingham City also parted ways with Rooney’s assistant Carl Robinson. The club didn’t announce who will take over the managerial position moving forward.
“Despite their best efforts, results have not met the expectations that were made clear at the outset. Therefore, the Board feels that a change in management is in the best interests of the Football Club,” Birmingham City said in a club statement.
Rooney took charge of Birmingham City shortly after mutually terminating his contract with MLS side D.C. United in early October. The EFL Championship club fired manager John Eustace to make room for Rooney despite being sixth in the standings and picking up eighteen points in the first eleven matches of the season.
However, bringing in Rooney failed to produce the results Birmingham City’s ownership wanted. The former Manchester United star managed only two wins in 15 games and is leaving the club 20th in the Championship.
“Football is a results business — and I recognize they have not been at the level I wanted them to be. However, time is the most precious commodity a manager requires, and I do not believe 13 weeks was sufficient to oversee the changes that were needed,” Rooney said in a statement after his firing.
