TOM COLLOMOSSE: A Wayne Rooney/Tom Brady combination will grab the attention of sports fans around the world… but the former England captain has been handling the spotlight for decades

• Wayne Rooney is targeting immediate promotion as the new Birmingham boss
• The 37-year-old was appointed as the teams new manager on Wednesday
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’ 

The attendant on the gate at St Andrew’s was ushering vehicles out of the car park when a van stopped in the middle of the road to address him.

‘Wayne Rooney!’ shouted the driver. ‘Wayne Rooney, he’s my man. Get him in!’

If you wanted a snapshot of why Birmingham – who are sixth in the Championship – have hired one of England’s most famous footballers, this was as good as any.

The club’s American owners and their frontman, chief executive Garry Cook, had already put Birmingham on the global stage by bringing on board NFL superstar Tom Brady. The pair have already spoken since Rooney’s appointment and a Rooney/Brady combination will certainly grab the attention of sports fans around the world. In turn, Cook and the owners hope that will bring new investment.

Yet Rooney is not here only to generate more positive reaction for the club on social media or help them land hefty sponsorship deals. He has been awarded a three-and-a-half-year contract to put the Blues back in the Premier League.

Wayne Rooney is targeting immediate promotion as the new Birmingham boss 

NFL legend Tom Brady became a co-owner at the Championship club earlier this year

A Rooney/Brady combination will grab the attention of sports fans around the world

His predecessor, John Eustace, was hugely unlucky to lose his job after guiding the club to sixth in the Championship, despite operating with a reduced wage bill. That means fan expectation is high and Rooney will be expected to build on Eustace’s good work.

As he pointed out, Rooney has been handling the spotlight for two decades and this will not faze him. He said: ‘We will push for promotion this year of course. With the players we brought in during the summer, it’s an ambition of ours. It’s something we will certainly push for. The goal is to get the club back to the Premier League.

‘To get back into English football is great. I have had opportunities over the last 4-6 weeks to do that but after speaking to Birmingham and seeing the ambition of the club, it excites me.

‘There is more pressure which I love. I love the fact we are in sixth in the league and I love the challenge.

‘I have dealt with pressure since I was a kid so it’s nothing new. It might be new to some of the players so I might have to get them ready for that. There are tough games coming up, and I can’t wait.’

The former England captain has been brought in to put Blues back in the Premier League

Rooney has been handling the spotlight for two decades and the challenge will not faze him 

This is a serious test for Rooney. 

During his spell with crisis-torn Derby from 2020 to 2021, he did a fabulous job to unite the fanbase during a period of administration, and ensure the players remained focused on the job despite serious upheaval off the field. Because of the chaos behind the scenes, Rooney was never going to be blamed when results were poor.

Rooney then moved to US club DC United but as Major League Soccer lacks the profile of the English game, he avoided serious scrutiny from European observers there, too.

There will be no such sympathy if he fails at Birmingham, however. Eustace has left Blues in a good spot but with a temporary training ground and a stadium under reconstruction, there are still hurdles to clear. Rooney says he loves a challenge. He certainly has one now.

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IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.

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