Birmingham sack Eustace as Rooney linked with role

Birmingham City appointed John Eustace as head coach in July 2022

Birmingham City have parted company with head coach John Eustace after 15 months in charge.

American-owned Blues have been linked with ex-England captain Wayne Rooney, who has just left his role as coach of Major League Soccer side DC United.

The club said the appointment of a new boss is imminent and will be encouraged to adopt a "no fear" approach.

"A new first-team manager will be announced in the coming days who will be responsible for creating an identity and clear 'no fear' playing style that all Birmingham City teams will adopt and embrace," a club statement said.

"It is essential that the board of directors and the football management are fully aligned on the importance of implementing a winning mentality and a culture of ambition across the entire football club."

Eustace leaves after 15 months in charge, a period for the club that included two failed takeover bids, potential risk of points deductions and the threat of relegation before new owners Shelby Companies Limited, led by American businessman Tom Wagner, took charge on 13 July.

Blues have since been further backed by financial input from global sporting superstar Tom Brady - and the early indications are that they want another big name and are waiting to install former Everton, Manchester United, Derby County and England striker Rooney.

Co-owners Tom Brady and Tom Wagner visited St Andrew's for the first time in August

Rooney's first role in management in England came at Derby in trying circumstances, as they went through their own long drawn-out financial struggle and eventual takeover two seasons ago.

Much of Eustace's time with Blues came with a similar backdrop - and it was generally considered that he had done a good job in managing to steer Blues to 17th in the Championship last season, securing their safety with three games left.

Birmingham also started this season well, winning three of their first four league games as part of an unbeaten five-match start in all competitions.

They then went seven games without a win at a time when Eustace had his name linked with the managerial vacancy at Scottish giants Rangers.

But Blues settled the ship last week with two home wins in four days, in which they hit seven goals and climbed back up to sixth.

Rooney's name has been circling on social media for several weeks, before he left DC United - and while the highly-thought-of Eustace's name was first being linked with Rangers.

He told Talksport on Monday that he was returning to England to see his family, but would be interested if any suitable job offers came up "in October or November".

The new Blues board are following the lead set by the previous board of wanting their own man in charge.

Their first big decision after taking over in 2016 was to sack Gary Rowett when Blues were in a very similar position, seventh in the Championship, level on points with the team in sixth, and replace him with a big name in Gianfranco Zola.

But Zola won just two of his 24 games in charge before being sacked six months later in April. And, although his replacement Harry Redknapp kept the club up, they were already embarked on a period of overspending on new players that broke English Football League financial fair play rules and led to points sanctions.

Since then, Blues have quickly been through six more bosses, with Steve Cotterill, Garry Monk, Pep Clotet, Aitor Karanka and Lee Bowyer all having spells in charge before Eustace.

Wayne Rooney won 24 of his 85 games in charge of Derby County at a time when the club was in severe financial difficulty

If Rooney is offered the job, as expected, he will become the club's seventh appointment in just over six years.

The club are now without a game until the trip to Middlesbrough on 21 October because of the international break.

Following his departure from St Andrew's, Eustace, a former Rangers target in his playing days when Mark Warburton was boss eight years ago, has now quickly been installed by bookmakers as the odds-on favourite for the Ibrox vacancy.

Expectations on new coach 'will be high'

Analysis - BBC Radio WM's Birmingham City reporter Richard Wilford

In business and branding the optics are everything. And Birmingham City's new US owners must surely be aware that John Eustace's departure with the club sitting sixth in the Championship table looks bizarre.

For many Blues fans the parallels with December 2016 will not sit well - the next head coach appointed will be the eighth since Zola's departure in April of the following year.

The statement is also bordering on the disrespectful, implying that Eustace had not been successful in "implementing a winning mentality and a culture of ambition".

Harsh on a man who inherited a side universally tipped for relegation 15 months ago, and who leaves them in the play-off places.

His final two games in charge saw him start four attacking players with real flair and ability and claim entertaining wins over Huddersfield and local rivals West Brom.

Eustace will surely fall on his feet. He is a knowledgeable hands-on coach with an ability to develop young players and should be an attractive proposition to other clubs at Championship level.

As for owner Tom Wagner, he and his supporting cast are very much in credit with the club's supporters. This summer's takeover has restored a lot of positivity to St Andrew's, they have got an awful lot of things right.

And the next head coach, whether it be Wayne Rooney or not, will be backed strongly to carry on moving Blues' on-field fortunes forward. Expectations, rightly or wrongly, will be high.