Former Manchester United and England future.Rooney, who left his role as head coach of DC United by mutual consent on Sunday after missing out on the MLS Cup play-offs, replaces John Eustace at St Andrew’s, who was fired on Monday despite the club sitting sixth in the Championship after back-to-back wins.
In his first press conference as Blues manager, Rooney insisted that promotion back to the Premier League remains his and the club’s major goal following a 12-year exile from the top tier.
“The goal for the club and me is to get this team back into the Premier League,” Rooney stated.
“There is a lot of work to be done around the football club, but the Premier League is where we want to be.
“It is both my and the club’s objective, and we are putting everything in place to ensure that we achieve it in the near future.Rooney, who struggled as manager of Derby County and had a less-than-successful tenure at DC United, is now looking forward to the challenge of maintaining Birmingham near the top of the Championship.
Eustace led the club to sixth place in the table after they earned six points and seven goals in their final two games.
When questioned about taking over a successful club, Rooney said: “It adds more pressure, which I enjoy. I enjoy the fact that we are in a terrific situation. I enjoy the challenge and the pressure, and I’ve been dealing with it since I was a small child, coming through at the age of 16.
“It’s not new to me, but it may be new to some of the guys.
“My duty is to make sure they’re prepared for that and ready to go out and succeed.
“We have some tough games coming up that I can’t wait to play, and I can’t wait to get the team out on the practice pitch, get them working on how I want them to play, and also get the mentality and mindset right to be consistent in this league.
“It’s critical to remain consistent in the Championship, and I’ll do everything I can to ensure that happens.”
Rooney returns to England after 15 months with DC United, who were mathematically eliminated from play-off contention this season after a Sunday victory against New York City.
The former England captain is overjoyed to be back in English football and sees Birmingham as the ideal fit for his ambitions.
He stated, “Getting back into English football is fantastic.
“It’s something I’ve wanted to do for the past four to six weeks, and other clubs have given me opportunities to do so.
“But speaking with Birmingham and seeing the club’s goals, where they want to go and where they want to get there, has excited me.
“I want to be successful, and it is evident that the club wants to be successful. Everything we said
“Wayne Rooney received a lot of praise for his work at Derby County. In his first management post, he faced administration, a 21-point deduction, and a squad made up of academy graduates and free transfers that was barely Championship worthy.
“The Derby fans were won over by his dedication, open communication, and fighting spirit, and it’s worth mentioning that they finished 17th in his first full season in charge. Keeping them on the hunt for safety until mid-April was a near-miraculous endeavor.
“It is one thing to stand up and fight when confronted with every form of adversity that football can throw at you; it is quite another to lead a club in the correct direction and eventually climb the Championship tree.
“And speaking of trees, Rooney hardly pulled any of them up throughout his time at DC United.” Were he not the name he is, it is difficult to envisage anything on his management CV convincing the new Birmingham owners that he deserves the chance to replace John Eustace, at St Andrew’s.
“Wayne Rooney and Birmingham City are an ideal pairing right now. Both are at a crossroads, with lofty goals for the future.
Birmingham’s chief executive, Garry Cook, has addressed the termination of John Eustace, claiming that the previous head coach was “misaligned” with the club’s senior team on several important topics.
“Cook is attempting to get the Birmingham supporters on board, despite the fact that the sacking is unpopular with a substantial percentage of them, who do not regard Rooney – who has only managed poor Derby County in England – as a managerial upgrade.
“After all, under Eustace, Birmingham finished sixth in the Championship and had six points and seven goals in their previous two Championship games. Quite severe
