Tom Wagner and Garry Cook sent damning Wayne Rooney verdict amid intense John Eustace debate
Latest Birmingham City news from BirminghamLive as Blues sent mixed messages over manager candidate and owners' role in Rooney saga
Birmingham City supporters have issued a damning condemnation of the decision to appoint Wayne Rooney as manager of their club - but are split over a potential return of John Eustace to St Andrew’s.
More than 2,000 Blues fans took part in a BirminghamLive poll in the aftermath of the decision to sack the former England and Manchester United legend after just 15 games in charge.
In that time, Birmingham City won just two games and went from being top-six contenders to relegation candidates, culminating with a 3-0 defeat at Leeds United on New Year’s Day.
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Asked whether the club had made the right decision to fire Rooney, who only replaced Eustace in October, an overwhelming 94% said yes. Another 94% also said Rooney had never been the right man to lead Blues under new owners Knighthead.
The decision to part with Eustace and bring in the former Derby County and DC United boss was taken by a Blues hierarchy including chairman Tom Wagner and CEO Garry Cook.
Asked whether the Rooney saga had lessened their confidence in the club’s new owners, Blues supporters were seriously split. While 55% said yes, 45% still backed Wagner and Co as they begin the hunt to find a new manager.
And whether that process should see a return of Eustace to St Andrew’s, fans were also divided with 51% backing the man who took Blues to the play-off places before being shown the door.
Eustace is understood to be open to a return to Blues, but trails in the latest betting where former Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper leads the way, closely followed by Blues old boy and England under-21s coach Lee Carsley and former Leeds boss Jesse Marsch.