Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane has called Wayne Rooney “lucky” after his fellow Manchester United legend landed his managerial position at Birmingham City.
Rooney announced his exit from DC United and said that it was the “right time” for him to return to England after the MLS side’s 2-0 win over New York City FC.
Despite leading DC United to victory on Sunday at the Audi Field, Rooney was unable to secure the Washington-based side’s place in the MLS Cup play-offs.
Rooney, who was appointed DC United manager in July 2022, has succeeded ex-Birmingham City boss John Eustace as the Championship club’s new head coach.
The 37-year-old English manager holds a current record of 38 wins from 139 matches, which leaves Rooney with only a 27.3 per cent win ratio as a coach.
Rooney has seen his teams pick up 36 draws and suffer 65 defeats, but question marks have been raised over the United legend’s current track record as a manager.
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United legend Keane on ‘lucky’ Rooney
Speaking on The Overlap’s YouTube channel, Keane insisted that former Derby County boss Rooney is “still learning our trade” and “learning like everyone else.”
However, Keane has raised concerns over Rooney’s stats as a manager and believes that his ex-United teammate is “lucky,” similar to Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard.
“On the other side, you’ve got Lampard, Gerrard and Rooney, these are lucky lads,” he said on the Stick to Football show.
“I was lucky to get to Sunderland, your first gig when you’ve had a half-decent career, but the problem is when you’ve been in and you’ve had a decent career, as soon as you go through a difficult spell, people throw it at you straight away.
“Like Wayne’s stats at the moment are not great, he’s had tough jobs, no doubt.
“The first thing people will say, ‘Well, just because you were a top player does not mean you will be a top manager.’
“But Wayne, like me and Gerrard, is still learning our trade. But when you have had a good career, people throw it at you straight [away]. We are learning like everybody else.”
Rooney’s next test at Birmingham City
Rooney’s backroom coaching staff at Birmingham City will include ex-England teammate Ashley Cole and former United teammate John O’Shea.
Birmingham City are sat in sixth place in the Championship table, with the Blues currently 12 points behind league leaders Leicester City.
Speaking after his appointment, Rooney insisted that his key objective is to create a “winning culture” at Birmingham City and has a new “sense of purpose” with this role.
“I am absolutely delighted to be joining Birmingham City Football Club at such an exciting time,” he told Birmingham City’s official website.
“It is very clear that they have a plan and are committed to realising their ambition for the club.
“We are fully aligned on what is expected. I have been building my managerial career, putting myself in challenging environments, to get me ready for this opportunity. It’s a project that gives me a sense of purpose and I can’t wait to get started.
“We have some exciting young players in the squad, and some who are still to break through into the first team, alongside a core of experienced senior professionals.
“I have a clear way that I want the team to play, and my coaching staff and I will work hard to implement it.
“We will create a winning culture here with an identity that gets Blues fans on their feet.”
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