So far for Wayne Rooney and Birmingham City, it’s not been good.
The Gianfranco Zola comparisons have been there since the former England and Manchester United man was appointed manager last month.
But after five games in charge, Rooney has one less point than Zola had from his first five at the helm, having lost four and drawn just one.
There’s already a growing number of fans calling for Rooney’s exit with Blues now sitting in 18th place of the table, compared to 6th which is where John Eustace left them.
Rooney’s Birmingham City future debated…
In a recent Q&A, Birmingham Live journalists Brian Dick and Alex Dicken gave their verdict on Rooney’s tenure and whether he’s currently safe at St Andrew’s.
Dick wrote:
“I would say they probably judged the Zola decision just about right because they ended up staying up on the last day of the season. Redknapp got three games at the end of that season. It’s difficult to say at what point, or how long you give it, because it depends upon the league table.
“Let’s say at this point, we are pondering an absolute worst case scenario that it doesn’t get better. I would like to think there’s a better set of owners and more expertise in the building than there was in 2017. I don’t think it’s going to get to that point.”
And Dicken wrote:
“I think as long as Blues aren’t in real trouble this season, and there’s enough of a buffer between themselves and the relegation places, they might let it ride. There is so much invested. Knighthead want Wayne Rooney as their manager so I think they will give it every chance to succeed.
“Whether this season is the bedding in period for Rooney, and next season is the one where Blues are in a position to get more of his players in and have a bit of a go, they are going to give him every single chance to succeed here. They have made a big decision and they don’t want it to fail.”
How much longer can this go on?
Results are certainly worrying for Birmingham City. Blues were performing well and looked like they could claim their first top six finish in over 10 years, but now that idea seems a long way away.
Expect the board to give Rooney time, though.
The board made a bold decision in appointing him and firing him now would make them look weak, so expect the board to give Rooney a fair bit more time, even if results continue to be poor.
But therein lies the question; how many more defeats can Blues take before the board decides enough is enough?
Like Dick and Dicken both suggest, it could all depend on league position. There are three or four really poor teams in the Championship who are quite a way off the rest of the pack right now, so Blues are relatively safe.
And Dick and Dicken also reiterate that the club ownership will want to see Rooney succeed given the bold decision to replace Eustace with him, revealing Blues’ potential stance on the England legend.
Birmingham City are eight points above the drop zone and it seems unlikely that the likes of Sheffield Wednesday, QPR, Rotherham United, and Huddersfield Town will close the gap too much over the coming weeks.
The next game for Rooney is a huge one; Sheffield Wednesday at home.
It’s perhaps the most winnable fixture on the list for Blues and so anything but a win would pile even more pressure on Rooney.
He needs to use this break wisely and he needs his players to really attack the Owls and put in a performance to ease some pressure on his shoulders.