by “When you go through life, it’s a long long road, there will be joy and sorrow too,” begins Birmingham’s song and, as a fan of the club, I can certainly relate. Wayne Rooney was sacked as manager on Tuesday after 15 games, having taken the club from sixth to 20th. His dismissal is understandable in a results-driven business and a reminder that appointing the right person is critical. But that doesn’t mean being so quick to get rid of it was the right call.
Birmingham’s US owners have done very well in some ways since taking over in the summer, doing a lot of great work behind the scenes, but the replacement of John Eustace, who took the club into the playoff positions, looked strange. . The owners obviously wanted to play with a certain style and decided that Rooney was the man. Naturally, someone of Rooney’s profile would help the commercial project by attracting investment and sponsorship.
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Two wins in 15 games will mark the peak of Rooney’s tenure at St Andrews but if the owners felt he was the man to provide “fearless football”, as chief executive Garry Cook put it, then he should be allowed to. time to succeed. When you make a 180 degree change in style, you have to give a manager the players they want and a transfer window would provide that opportunity for Rooney.
The time of Rooney’s arrival, in October, was not suitable when a revolution was needed. Bournemouth made a similar change when they parted company with Gary O’Neil after he did a great job of keeping the club in the Premier League but they did their research and wanted Andoni Iraola. He was given a pre-season with the squad and attention was paid to the recruits he was looking for.
It did not start well, with Bournemouth failing to win any of their opening nine league games, losing six. The owner, Bill Foley, came out to say that he was supporting Iraola regardless of results and that it is paying dividends. It is so difficult as an owner or chief executive to do that when the club’s biggest asset is survival in the Premier League and the finances it brings. Bournemouth prioritized developing style over immediate results, which was a brave decision.
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Rooney immediately went into a difficult run of games as he struggled to produce the football that was needed. Most of the time, a manager comes in because a team is playing badly and needs fresh motivation. It can be difficult to take over a successful team and push them to the next level when the previous system was working, so that was difficult for Rooney.
It’s not easy being an owner either, especially in the Championship; It is a competitive league, there are so many games and the financial side is extremely difficult. A club needs to hire someone who can be the focal point and the manager is the most important employee. Finding all of that and marrying it in style and commercial value is complex. One must appeal to the fans, who are the heart of any club, and what they represent. But when an owner makes a serious decision, it requires patience with a manager.
Consistency in life is probably the most important thing. I look at my career and the most successful managers are the ones who had time. I was with Vic Akers at Arsenal and Emma Hayes at Chelsea, both for long periods. In the men’s game, it took time for Sir Alex Ferguson, Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola to implement their methods. Admittedly, they had money to spend but the pressures are the same.
From the manager’s point of view, it is important to know if a role is right and not to accept the first opportunity that is presented. After Eddie Howe left Bournemouth he took a year off, went to refresh himself, refine the basics and looked back at his notes and training videos to improve. When someone comes out of football, it may be necessary to jump back in, but you have to have the power not to say it if the offer is not right. One needs the confidence that something else will come along.
For the Birmingham owners the next decision is the biggest of their tenure. The fans will stick with whoever replaces Rooney because that’s what you do. It will be a huge mistake but the owners need to get this right and learn from what has gone before. The manager should be the heartbeat of the team. They must be strong and aligned with what your organization stands for.
I hope this is a blip and a reminder of how difficult the business is. I, like all fans, want the best for the club and the owners have shown promise. In my lifetime, Birmingham supporters have seen a lot, from winning the League Cup and being relegated in the same season to the reign of Gianfranco Zola and the deduction of points. There is never a dull day at St. Andrew’s.
Keep right to the end of the road.
