Wayne Rooney has named Birmingham as the biggest managerial regret of his career and said he would not currently take another job in the dugout. The former Manchester United and England striker said the timing of his appointment after John Eustace still stands out to him. His spell there lasted 83 days and ended with nine defeats in 15 games.
Rooney's Birmingham spell
Rooney was sacked by Birmingham after just 83 days in charge. The numbers explain why the job sits so heavily in his own reflection: nine defeats in 15 games, with the club dropping from sixth under John Eustace to 20th before he was dismissed.
He did not try to dress that up. Speaking to BBC Sport, Rooney said: "I think the biggest regret I have is the Birmingham City job, in terms of the timing of when I took over from John Eustace." It is a blunt admission, and a fair one. The spell simply never settled.
The door is not closed, but it is not open now
Rooney did leave himself an escape hatch. "Of course, I've never closed doors and never say never, but at the moment, where I am now, where my head space is, I wouldn't," he said.
That is a different message from saying he is done forever, and he was careful not to go that far. He is 40, and the immediate answer is no, not another management job right now. He also left open the idea of a coaching return at Manchester United under Michael Carrick, which tells you he is not ruling out football altogether.
His recent club work has been short too. Rooney left Plymouth by mutual consent after four wins and 13 defeats in 23 Championship games in 2024-25. He is currently part of the BBC's punditry team for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA, so the next immediate step is broadcast duty, not a quick comeback to the touchline.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →