October 12 – Former England captain and Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney has completed his managerial move to English Championship side Birmingham City on a three and-a-half-year contract.
Rooney joins the second-tier side only weeks after famed American Football legend Tom Brady came onboard as a minority owner.
Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion, also holds a position as advisory board chair, but it is not clear how much of role he played in the decision to hire one of the biggest names in English football.
Former DC United coach Rooney replaces John Eustace, who was sacked earlier this week with the Midlands side sixth in the standings – 12 points behind runaway leaders Leicester City.
“I have been building my managerial career, putting myself in challenging environments, to get me ready for this opportunity. It’s a project that gives me a sense of purpose and I can’t wait to get started,” Rooney said in a statement.
“I have a clear way that I want the team to play, and my coaching staff and I will work hard to implement it. We will create a winning culture here with an identity that gets Blues fans on their feet.”
Rooney, 37, stepped down as manager of Major League Soccer (MLS) club DC United last week after they missed out on the MLS Cup playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
Prior to his stint with DC United, Rooney had a 17-month spell in charge of Derby County where his team collected 55 points enough for survival – but were relegated to the third tier after points were deducted amid financial turmoil.
“Wayne has been preparing for an opportunity like this since he embarked on his coaching education whilst still a player at Manchester United,” Birmingham chairman and co-owner Tom Wagner said.
“He and his staff have the full support of the Board and everyone at the football club.”
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