Wayne Rooney is targeting a return to the Premier League with Birmingham City following his appointment as manager.
Rooney was named as Birmingham’s new boss on a three-and-a-half year contract on Wednesday.
Former Manchester United and England striker Rooney, who left his post as DC United head coach by mutual consent on Sunday after missing the MLS Cup play-offs, replaces John Eustace at St Andrew’s after his dismissal on Monday despite the club. occupying sixth place in the championship after consecutive victories.
Speaking at his first press conference as Blues boss, Rooney insisted promotion to the Premier League was his and the club’s main goal after 12 years away from the top flight.
“The aim of the club and myself is to get this club back into the Premier League,” Rooney said.
“There is a lot of work to do across the whole football club, but the Premier League is where we want to get to.
“It’s an ambition of mine and it’s an ambition of the club, and we’re doing everything we can to make sure we achieve it in the near future.”
“Pressure is nothing new to me”
Rooney, after a difficult time as manager of Derby County and a less than successful period in charge of DC United, is now looking forward to the challenge of keeping Birmingham near the top of the Championship.
Eustace guided the team to sixth place in the table after winning six points and scoring seven goals in their last two matches.
Asked about taking over a club in a good position, Rooney said: “It’s also more pressure, which I like. I like the fact that we’re in a good position. I like the challenge and I I like the pressure that comes with it, and it’s something I’ve dealt with since I was a young kid, at 16 years old.
“It’s not new to me, but it might be to some players.
“My job is to make sure I prepare them for that and really prepare them to go out and be successful.
“We have some tough games coming up that I’m looking forward to getting involved in, and I can’t wait to get the team out on the training pitch, get them working on how I want them to play, but also to acquire the mentality and the right state of mind to be really consistent in this league.
“It’s very important to be consistent in the league and I will do everything I can to make sure we achieve that.”
“Birmingham’s ambition excites me”
Rooney returns to England after 15 months with DC United, who were mathematically knocked out of the play-offs this season despite Sunday’s victory over New York.
The former England captain is delighted to be back in English football and sees Birmingham as an ideal partner for his ambition.
He said: “Coming back into English football is great.
“That’s what I wanted to do and I’ve had the opportunity to do it over the last four to six weeks at other clubs.
“But since speaking to Birmingham and seeing the ambitions of the club, where they want to go and where they want to arrive, it has excited me.
“I want to succeed and it’s clear the club wants to succeed. Everything we talked about was very similar.
“It was a very easy decision once I spoke to the club and I can’t wait to get started. I’m happy to be back and I’m looking forward to the first game.
“We have a lot of work to do. I’ve had my first training session with the players and it will be a little different to what they are used to, but it’s an exciting time and I’m excited to to be a part of. “.
Rooney’s first six matches:
21st of October : Middlesbrough vs Birmingham – kick-off 3pm
October 25: Birmingham vs Hull – kick-off 7.45pm, live Red Sky Sports Football Button
October 28: Southampton vs Birmingham – kick-off 12:30 p.m., live Sky Sports Football
November 4: Birmingham vs Ipswich – kick-off 3pm
November 11th: Sunderland vs Birmingham – kick-off 12:30 p.m., live Sky Sports Football
November 25: Birmingham vs Sheffield Wednesday – kick-off 3pm
Rooney still has everything to prove as a manager
Siméon Gholam, Sky Sports EFL Editor:
“Wayne Rooney has received widespread praise for his work at Derby County. In his first managerial role, he found himself there, looking after the administration, a 21-point deduction and a team to championship-worthy sentence made up of academy graduates and free transfers.
“Derby fans were won over by his commitment, open communication and fighting style, and it’s worth noting that they picked up enough points in his full campaign alone to finish 17th. To keep them in the hunt security until mid-April. It was almost a miraculous effort.
“It’s one thing, however, to stand up and stand out in the face of every type of adversity that football can throw at you, it’s another to take a club in the right direction finally higher up in the championship tree.
“And speaking of trees, Rooney barely took any down during his time at DC United. If he wasn’t the name he is, it’s hard to imagine anything on his managerial CV is enough to convince Birmingham’s new owners that he has earned the chance to replace John Eustace at St Andrew’s.
“The 37-year-old still has a lot to prove.”
Shared ambition makes Rooney and Birmingham the perfect couple
Rob Dorsett, Sky Sports News senior reporter:
“Wayne Rooney and Birmingham City are the perfect pairing right now. Both at a crucial crossroads and each with big ambitions for the future.
John Eustace’s sacking was explained by Birmingham chief executive Garry Cook, who said the former head coach was “misaligned” with the club’s management team, on a number of key points .
“Cook is trying to keep Birmingham’s support, knowing the sacking is unpopular with a significant proportion of them, who do not see Rooney – who has so far only taken charge of Derby County in difficulty in England – as a managerial improvement.
“After all, under Eustace, Birmingham reached sixth place in the Championship, took six points and scored seven goals in their last two league matches. A harsh dismissal, to be sure.
“But when you realize the plan to sign Rooney dates back several weeks – when the Blues took just one point from three matches against Preston, QPR and Norwich – Birmingham bosses think it’s easier to justify and explain their decision.
“It was inevitable. Eustace knew it. New club owners like to recruit their own people into key positions.
“And when you look at owner Tom Wagner’s mission statement when his Knighthead Capital Management group bought Birmingham three months ago, Rooney’s recruitment should come as no surprise.”
Read Rob Dorsett’s full analysis on why Rooney is the right fit for Birmingham.