Man United Legend Admits He Warned Wayne Rooney About Birmingham Before His Sack

• Rio Ferdinand has revealed what he told Wayne Rooney before his appointment as Birmingham boss
• Rooney was fired as Blues manager after losing nine out of 15 games, leaving the club in 20th position
• The former England striker has admitted the sack hit him hard, and it will take time for him to recover

Legendary Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand has shared his thoughts on Wayne Rooney being sacked as Birmingham City manager.

Ferdinand said he advised his former Man United teammate against taking the role, but the latter didn't heed his advice, leading to his dismissal.

Appointed as Birmingham's manager on October 11, 2023, with the team sixth in the Championship, Rooney faced a tough run, losing nine of 15 games, which led to the termination of his contract.

Just 13 weeks into his tenure, the 38-year-old was shown the door with the club currently flirting with the bottom positions in the English second-tier league's table, according to Sky Sports.

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Following his sack, Rooney - affectionately known as Wazza - stated in a press release that the time given to establish his approach and style with the team was too short.

He also outlined his next line of action after admitting he would need time to recover from the brutal sacking.

Ferdinand warned Rooney against Birmingham

Ferdinand responded to the news of Rooney's dismissal on Vibe with Five podcast, as quoted by Daily Sport:

"I always thought at the beginning, and I spoke to Wayne when he got the job on the phone; I spoke to him at the time, that it’s a difficult time to go into a club when the tails are up, they are doing well, and they like the manager.

"Nine times out of ten, a manager replaces someone who is not doing well; this was a different scenario, and his back was against the wall from the start."

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Rooney breaks silence after Birmingham sack

Sports Brief also reported that Wayne Rooney said it would 'take some time' to recover after he was sacked as manager of Birmingham City on Tuesday following a disastrous spell in charge.

The 38-year-old ex-Manchester United and England player took charge in October but managed only two wins in 15 matches. Monday's 3-0 loss to Leeds, the ninth under him, was a tipping point.

Rooney's managerial journey, unlike his illustrious playing career, has faced numerous challenges. However, he received praise for his efforts at Derby despite those difficult circumstances.