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WAYNE ROONEY HAS been sacked as manager of Championship club Birmingham.
Rooney has overseen just two wins in 15 games following his controversial appointment at St Andrew’s in October.
Supporters called for Rooney’s removal as the side slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Leeds on New Year’s Day.
Rooney was appointed in favour of former Ireland assistant manager John Eustace, who was sacked in October despite the fact Birmingham were sixth in the table, and within the play-off places. Rooney leaves them 20th in the league, six points clear of relegation. The club’s new American ownership appointed Rooney, with CEO Garry Cook promising “no fear” football under his tutelage. It hasn’t worked out.
A club statement read: “Birmingham City has today parted company with manager Wayne Rooney and first-team coach Carl Robinson.
“Despite their best efforts, results have not met the expectations that were made clear at the outset. Therefore, the board feels that a change in management is in the best interests of the football club.
Chief executive Garry Cook said: “We are committed to doing what is necessary to bring success to St Andrew’s.
“Unfortunately, Wayne’s time with us did not go as planned and we have decided to move in a different direction.
“The search for a successor begins with immediate effect and we will update supporters when we have further news.”
In his own statement, Rooney said: “I would like to thank Tom Wagner, Tom Brady and Garry Cook for the opportunity to manage Birmingham City FC and the support they all gave me during my short period with the club.
“Football is a results business – and I recognise they have not been at the level I wanted them to be. However, time is the most precious commodity a manager requires and I do not believe 13 weeks was sufficient to oversee the changes that were needed.
“Personally, it will take me some time to get over this setback. I have been involved in professional football, as either a player or manager, since I was 16. Now, I plan to take some time with my family as I prepare for the next opportunity in my journey as a manager.
“Finally, I wish Birmingham City FC and its owners my best wishes in the pursuit of their ambitions.”
The club have not yet offered clarity on John O’Shea’s position at the club: the former Irish international was hired as Rooney’s assistant when he took over.
With reporting by Gavin Cooney
Written by Press Association and posted on the42.ie
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I wonder will the Marxist rabble who recently had the audacity to gatecrash a Christmas mass in progress at a Dublin Cathedral..an outrage completely ignored by most of the media..to make some point about Israel and Gaza be out feeding the homeless on Christmas day? Somehow I very much doubt it!
@Jonn: I don’t think that Hamas or their fan clubs are noted for their charitable endeavours, especially around Christian festivals.
@Thomas Sheridan:
That’s true! I’m curious why the leftist rent a mob chose a Christian ceremony to disrupt..luck of the draw I suppose? Would they have been as quick to invade a mosque, or even a synagogue,which in the circumstances might have been more aligned with their ’cause’? But like the cowards they are they chose a church,an easy,safe target.
@Jonn:
Away sking with Mummy And Papa.
@H Woo:
Quite possibly, the ‘climate crisis’ will have to wait while they fly into Italy for a nice festive break from virtue signalling!
@Jonn: If Jesus was born now (assuming he was ever born or existed) he would undeniably be Palestinian. Unfortunately, the odds of him surviving today in Palestine might not be very good.
@Jack Hayes:
Jack I 100% support the Palestinians, and denounce everything Israel is doing,it’s an abomination, but still doesn’t explain why these morons thought disrupting a Christmas mass was relevant to their cause?
@Jonn: jesus was Marxist before Marxism
@Jonn: Mayne highlight the churchs silence on the GAZA situation
@Niall Lappin:
The church hasn’t been silent
You just haven’t been listening to it
@Niall Lappin:
How come they didn’t rock up to a synagogue waving their Palestinian flags?Probably more appropriate especially given senior Jewish figures in Irelands unquestioning support for Israel and the IDF? Or would the optics not have looked right, easier to pick on the usual whipping boy,the catholic church!
@Niall Lappin:
It’s always funny when people who wouldn’t be caught dead in a church enlighten us with the true meaning of Christianity!
@Jack Hayes:
He was Jewish
My father was in the Knights and he used to go to the mansion house every Christmas morning to bring comfort and joy and a fantastic Christmas Dinner to the homeless and make sure they weren’t forgotten about.
Excellent work by all those involved, a heartwarming show of Christianity
May God Bless them all.
@JP Fox: may the force be with you too
Nobody should be hungry.
Logion 29 : (L’évangile de Thomas).
Jésus disait : ‘ si la chair est venu à l’existence à cause de l’esprit,
c’est une merveille,
mais si l’esprit est venu à l’existence à cause du corps,
c’est une merveille de merveille.
mais moi, je me m’émerveille de ceci :
Comment cet être qui Est,
peut-il habiter ce néant ?’
(CF MT. 21, 41; MC 12, 11 ; JN 1, 14 ; 1 TM 3, 16 ; RM 8, 13 ; 1 CO 5, 3.)
Translated into French by Jean -Yyves Leloup.
@offside again: Go home bot. You’re drunk
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