Exclusive: Wayne Rooney's Sensational Premier League Comeback Plan Revealed By Birmingham City's New Manager!

Wayne Rooney has targeted a return to the Premier League with Birmingham City after his appointment as manager.

Rooney was named Birmingham's new boss on a three-and-a-half-year deal on Wednesday.

Rooney, the former Manchester United and England striker, has taken over as the head coach of St Andrew's after leaving his role at DC United. He replaces John Eustace, who was sacked despite the club's sixth position in the Championship. In his debut press conference as the Blues boss, Rooney emphasized that returning to the Premier League is his and the club's primary objective after being away for 12 years.

Rooney expressed his aim, both for the club and himself, to restore the club's position in the Premier League. He acknowledged that significant efforts are required across the football club, yet their ultimate aspiration remains to reach the Premier League.

"It's an ambition of mine and it is an ambition of the club's, and we are putting everything in place to make sure we do that in the near future."

'Pressure nothing new to me'

Rooney, who faced tough times managing Derby County and had a less-than-successful tenure at DC United, is now eagerly embracing the task of maintaining Birmingham's position near the top of the Championship.

Under Eustace's guidance, the team secured a sixth-place spot in the table by notching six points and scoring seven goals in their previous two matches.

Rooney expressed his enthusiasm for assuming control of a club in a favorable position. He explained that the added pressure is something he thrives on and appreciates. The challenge and the stress associated with it are aspects that he has been accustomed to since his early days as a 16-year-old prodigy. While this might be uncharted territory for certain players, it is a familiar situation for him.

My role entails preparing them for those challenges, empowering them to excel in their endeavors. There are challenging matches on the horizon that I am eager to embrace. I am excited to lead the team in training sessions, focusing on implementing my desired style of play, and cultivating the correct mindset essential for maintaining consistency in this league.

"It's so important to be consistent in the Championship and I'll de everything I can to make sure we do that."

'Birmingham's ambition excites me'

Rooney makes his return to England following a 15-month stint with DC United. Despite a victory over New York City, DC United's chances of making it to the playoffs this season were mathematically eliminated. The ex-England captain expresses his delight in returning to English football and views Birmingham as an ideal match for his ambitions.

He said: "To get back into English football is great.

"It's what I've wanted to do and I've had opportunities over the last four to six weeks from other clubs to do that.

"However, after conversing with Birmingham and witnessing the club's aspirations, their desired direction and future goals truly captivated me.

"I am driven to achieve success, and it is evident that the club shares the same mindset. The discussions we had displayed remarkable similarity in our visions."

"It became an effortless choice once I conversed with the club, and I am thrilled to start. I am pleased to return and eagerly anticipating the inaugural match.

"We have an extensive amount of work ahead of us. I recently had my initial training session with the players, and while it will deviate from their customary routine, it presents an exhilarating period, and I am overjoyed to be involved."

Rooney's first six fixtures:

October 21: Middlesbrough vs Birmingham - kick-off 3pm

October 25: Birmingham vs Hull - kick-off 7.45pm, live on We Football Red Button

October 28: Southampton vs Birmingham - kick-off 12.30pm, live on We Football

November 4: Birmingham vs Ipswich - kick-off 3pm

November 11: Sunderland vs Birmingham - kick-off 12.30pm, live on We Football

November 25: Birmingham vs Sheffield Wednesday - kick-off 3pm

Rooney still has it all to prove in management

We EFL Editor Simeon Gholam:

Wayne Rooney received praise for his achievements at Derby County. As a first-time manager, he faced significant challenges, such as dealing with administration, a 21-point deduction, and a squad composed mainly of academy graduates and free transfer players.

Rooney's dedication, transparent communication, and resilient approach won over the Derby fans. It is important to highlight that under his leadership, the team accumulated enough points in his first full season to secure a 17th place finish. This remarkable effort kept them in contention for safety until mid-April.

To face all kinds of challenges that football can present is one achievement, but to propel a club that is finally heading in the right direction further up the Championship ladder is an entirely different accomplishment.

Rooney's stint at DC United did not involve much success in terms of uprooting trees. If his reputation did not precede him, it is difficult to envision any aspect of his managerial track record that would persuade the recently appointed Birmingham owners to consider him as a replacement for John Eustace at St Andrew's. It is evident that at 37 years old, Rooney still has much to demonstrate.

Shared ambition makes Rooney and Birmingham the perfect pairing

We News senior reporter Rob Dorsett:

Wayne Rooney and Birmingham City have found themselves in an ideal partnership. Both are currently at significant turning points, with strong aspirations for the future.

Birmingham's chief executive, Garry Cook, has provided clarity on the dismissal of John Eustace, attributing it to a lack of alignment with the club's leadership team on several crucial matters.

Cook is making an effort to maintain the support of the Birmingham fans, recognizing that a considerable number of them disagree with the decision to dismiss Eustace. These fans do not view Rooney, who has only managed struggling Derby County thus far in England, as an improvement in terms of leadership.

It is worth noting that under Eustace's management, Birmingham achieved a sixth-place position in the Championship. Moreover, they have recently earned six points and scored seven goals in their last two Championship matches. Therefore, the decision to sack Eustace appears to be unjustifiably severe.

"Upon realizing that the intent to enlist Rooney has been in motion for weeks - a period where Blues only managed to accumulate one point from encounters with Preston, QPR, and Norwich - Birmingham's executives find it more plausible and understandable to rationalize their choice.

"It was bound to happen. Eustace was aware. Novel club owners prefer to appoint individuals of their own choosing for crucial roles."

Read Rob Dorsett's complete analysis on why Rooney is the ideal match for Birmingham, especially considering owner Tom Wagner's mission statement when his Knighthead Capital Management group acquired the team three months ago.