Wayne Rooney and Birmingham City: a costly mistake for both parties

Oh Wayne! Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images

AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ROO

So farewell then, Wayne Rooney. After fewer than three months in the job, Birmingham City have bundled their big-name managerial hire through the Door Marked ‘Roo One’. He won just two of his 15 games in charge, and the writing was plastered across the wall in giant neon letters after the Blues were given a 3-0 chasing at Elland Road on Monday. When Rooney was brought in to replace John Eustace, Birmingham were above Leeds in the table and dreaming of promotion. Now, they are 20 points behind them, and just six above third-from-bottom Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls had two points when Rooney arrived at St Andrew’s on 11 October, but made the bold decision two days later to appoint Danny Röhl, a coach who seemingly knows a bit of what he’s doing.