ROO START? Five jobs Wayne Rooney could go for next including Salford to become Class of 92’s manager after Birmingham sacking

WAYNE ROONEY is now looking for a new job after being sacked by Birmingham City.

Posted Wednesday, January 03, 2024 by Thesun.co.uk

The England and Manchester United legend has endured an absolute nightmare since he took charge of the Blues when they were sitting in the play-off spots in October.

ROO START? Five jobs Wayne Rooney could go for next including Salford to become Class of 92’s manager after Birmingham sacking
Wayne Rooney is looking for a new job after being sacked by Birmingham City Credit: Alamy

The 38-year-old won just two of his 15 matches in charge after replacing John Eustace.

That poor run saw Birmingham plummet from sixth to 20th in the Championship.

Yesterday’s 3-0 defeat to Leeds proved to be the final straw for Brum’s American owners, including NFL icon Tom Brady, as they confirmed Rooney’s departure this morning.

And now the former Derby County and DC United boss has found himself unemployed with his reputation as a manager taking another huge hit after the ill-fated stint at St Andrew’s.

After guiding Derby to safety in his first season in charge, he still won plaudits the following year when they were relegated from the Championship amid turmoil off the pitch.

Rooney resigned after they dropped to League One and went on to join MLS side DC United, who he played for towards the end of his iconic career.

But he struggled to make much of an impact in America as he racked up just 13 wins and 26 defeats from his 52 games at the helm.

And even though he is undoubtedly still a huge name in the game, his record in the dug-out suggests that he would be a massive gamble for any potential employers.

However, there may still be a few options on the table for Wazza, and here are five possible jobs for him that could help the ex-striker transform his reputation:

SALFORD CITY

The League Two club are owned by his former Manchester United team-mates Nicky Butt, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Gary and brother Phil Neville.

Salford enjoyed four promotions in five years after the Class of ‘92 bought them with money man and majority shareholder Peter Lim in 2014.

However, their dream of reaching the Premier League is in danger of imploding as they remain stuck in the fourth tier and they responded to their recent woes by sacking Neil Wood following the 5-1 defeat by Tranmere on Boxing Day.

A number of names have already been mentioned as potential successors, but Rooney could land himself a new job fast if he decides to go for it and try and work for his pals.

INTER MIAMI

Beckham also owns MLS side Inter Miami and has enjoyed great success since the arrival of Lionel Messi in attack.

Golden Balls previously employed close mate Phil Neville as manager, but he sacked him in June and replaced him with Gerardo Martino.

They have been on a great run since, but should Becks opt to perform an old England friends act, then Rooney may have an opportunity to go back to the MLS.

SAUDI ARABIA

A huge array of big-name players and managers have moved to the mega-rich Saudi Pro League over the past 12 months.

And the opportunity to employ another legendary figure in Rooney may prove to be an attractive option for one of their clubs as they look to continue establishing the league.

ENGLAND

A bit of a long-shot, but with Gareth Southgate expected to depart after this summer’s Euros, the England job could soon become available.

With no obvious candidates out there to come in, Rooney could attempt to convince FA chiefs to take a punt on him.

He already has plenty of experience on the international stage and assured his place in the history books by surpassing Sir Bobby Charlton’s Three Lions scoring record while captaining our country - a figure since surpassed by Harry Kane.

And for anyone doubting him, Wazza could point out that Southgate’s only experience at club level before he got the gig was at Middlesbrough, where he suffered relegation from the Premier League.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Perhaps an even bigger long-shot than the England one.

But he knows the club inside and out after an epic 13-year playing career at Old Trafford that resulted in him winning the lot under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has finally completed his deal to purchase 25 per cent of United, and with pressure continuing to mount on Erik ten Hag, the new chiefs could opt for a change in the dug-out.

And it is not as if bad managerial records at other clubs has put United off in the past given Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s recent spell in charge.