Wayne Rooney, like all managers, needed time but patience is often lacking | Karen Carney

Appointment and dismissal came at difficult times for Rooney so Birmingham’s owners have to be diligent in their next step

“As you go through life, it’s a long, long road, there’ll be joys and sorrows too,” begins the Birmingham chant and, as a fan of the club, I can certainly relate. Wayne Rooney was sacked as manager on Tuesday after 15 matches, having taken the club from sixth to 20th. His dismissal is understandable in a results-based business and a reminder that appointing the right person is imperative. But that doesn’t mean being so quick to get rid of him was the correct call.

Birmingham’s US owners have done excellently in some respects since taking over in the summer, doing a lot of great work behind the scenes, but replacing John Eustace, who had taken the club into the playoff positions, seemed bizarre. Clearly the owners wanted to play with a certain style and decided Rooney was the man. Naturally, someone of Rooney’s profile would also help the commercial project by attracting investment and sponsorship.

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