Carlton Palmer believes there are still reservations over the managerial saga involving Birmingham City
Birmingham City have enjoyed a strong start to the Championship season, and one which even just five games in has started the managerial speculation we are more accustomed to in the months to come.
After Tom Wagner’s takeover was completed in July, John Eustace’s side have begun this season riding a subsequent crest of a wave, with the feel-good factor well and truly back in the Blue quarter of the Second City.
Blues currently sit fourth as we pass through the first international break as one of just two sides who still bear unbeaten starts to the campaign with three victories and two draws. Unsurprisingly, the hometown boss was nominated for the Championship’s Manager of the Month award for August, before being pipped by Leicester City’s Enzo Maresca.
This has led to surprise speculation of a potential move to Scottish giants Rangers, as former QPR head coach Michael Beale is under mounting pressure following a week of disappointment which saw The Light Blues defeated 8-3 on aggregate by PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League play-off round, and a 1-0 defeat to bitter rivals Celtic at Ibrox on September 3rd.
It was reported by both The Daily Mail and The Guardian that Larvesta had emerged as a surprise early candidate to be the latest in the Gers dugout if Beale was to be given his marching orders by the hierarchy, with the latter of those stating that England legend Wayne Rooney is ‘in the frame for the Birmingham job should Eustace depart’, something which the report claims isn’t close to leaving St Andrew’s.
Rooney was given his first steps into management at the final club of his playing career, Derby County in November 2020 following the departure of Phillip Cocu, initially on an interim basis before going full-time in the role in January 2021, in what was a difficult period in The Rams’ history.
The former Manchester United legend oversaw the club’s final day survival in a grudge match against Sheffield Wednesday in May 2021, before overseeing more turbulence as the club were handed a deduction of 21 points across the following season. Alongside the current Hull City boss Liam Rosenior, Rooney’s side refused to throw the towel in, winning 14 matches and 13 draws, but as a result of the points deduction were relegated on April 18th 2022. In an ordinary season, Derby would have finished on 55 points.
Overall at Pride Park, Rooney took charge of 85 games, winning 24 which gave him a win percentage of 28.2.
In his current job at D.C. United, he has won just 13 of 46 games, with only a 0.1% higher win percentage than his time in the East Midlands.
Speaking to FLW, Palmer believes that whilst Rooney would carry a bigger reputation than Eustace, something that could excite the new American owners at St Andrews with NFL Superstar Tom Brady as a minority owner, but warned that on the football side would be a risk.
He said: “Birmingham City have been linked with the icon Wayne Rooney should John Eustace depart.
“He had a difficult first job at Derby County but acquitted himself well amid the club’s administration, but a win ratio in his career of just 28.2% doesn’t exactly jump out at you.” Palmer continued.