Rooney took over when Birmingham were sixth in the second tier, unexpectedly in play-off contention and cautiously eyeing a push for the promised land of the Premier League.
He leaves them on the cusp of the bottom three, having failed to win 13 of his 15 games in charge and mustered a paltry 10 points.
Rooney felt he deserved more time at St Andrew's but, really, it is a wonder he lasted so long. The biggest surprise, though, remains that he was given the job in the first place.
In managerial terms, Rooney is now damaged goods, his reputation as a coach tarnished. Such was his success and celebrity as a player, his standing as a manager is now probably lower than when he retired from playing in January 2021.
There is no doubt that the blame for Rooney's failure at Birmingham lies as much with the club as the 38-year-old.
The decision to sack John Eustace, who stabilised the Blues last term before their strong start to the season, and hire Rooney was a classic case of a club going for a "name" above all else.
この記事は Evening Standard の January 03, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Evening Standard の January 03, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
The era of longevity is almost upon us. But can our minds really keep up?
A post-ageing world is just around the corner, says longevity scientist AUBREY DE GREY, and it’s going to change the way we live
Hidden London
SECRET SPOTS YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO DISCOVER
How Christian Louboutin fell in love with Melides in Portugal
The wild beauty of this seaside village charmed the French fashion designer so much that he made it his home
Actor Millie Bobby Brown romances in Hyde Park, feasts at Sheesh and buys thelot at Harrods
Interview with Actor Millie Bobby Brown
How will Arteta manage without influential Edu?
Arsenal need smooth transition between eras just like Man City
"I had no one in Manchester apart from my PlayStation"
Aaron Wan-Bissaka was a young man rated among the country's most promising footballers when Manchester United came calling in the summer of 2019.
The battle for the soul of Soho
Inside the war between London's porn baron family and the council they say is killing the vibe
At the table: Sad steaks seasoned with despair
Fetch the smelling salts, you're in for a shock: A Restaurant Critic Hates a Famously Terrible Restaurant. Low-hanging fruit? Perhaps.
Class portrait Nobody else writes about middle England so acutely
Tessa Hadley's first novella depicts women in refreshing ways
How a tiny cult radio station in Hackney took over the world
I think the most obscure place I've had a listener email from so far was probably a guy in the Yukon,\" laughs Flo Dill, the host of NTS Radio's flagship morning show.
