Birmingham City

Serves the owners right. Doin so well under john eustace. As he is a relative unknown, get rid and being in rooney who lets face it is an very average manager. Big money, dropped off a cliff. No sympathy at all.

 

I've got nothing against Wayne Rooney at all. Did a good job at Derby and comes across as a very decent bloke these days, a far cry from the younger version. However, the way John Eustace was treated was appalling. That alone makes me want to see Birmingham fail.

 

That's what sexy football gets you. Newcastle did it with Ruud Gullit. Ipswich got rid of Mick Mccarthy. We appointed Schopp and now Birmingham have got Rooney. Prefer substance myself.

 

They had Krystian Bielik, Tom Lawrence, Jason Knight, Louie Sibley, Max Bird, Kamil Jozwiak and Nathan Byrne. At that time, a squad with that sort of spine should have been performing much higher than they were. If anything, it was Rooney's management of the younger player that was the issue, as he wasn't getting the best out of them.

 

Tom Lawrence was shocking that season and I don't think he's upto much north of the border for rangers now all the ability but not enough hard work should have had a much better career than he has.
Had they not had the 21 points deducted they would have finished 18th that season on 55 points which with the squad, everything going on at the club and the transfer embargo would be a decent finish imo.

 

He got 12 goals from midfield that season.

I get the troubles they were having off the pitch, but I still disagree. With how quickly they made up the points deficit, they should really have been kicking on and finishing lower mid-table at least. Beilik getting injured didn't help, and being unable to strengthen too much in January may have hurt, but I often thinks Rooney gets plaudits that he didn't really earn at Derby, and believe me, I'm far from being one of those who always turns their nose up at him.

 

They've got form for it too. They sacked Rowett a few years back when they were around top 6, installed Zola has manager and plummeted to just surviving. Once bitten twice shy, obviously not for them.

 

This is exactly it for me. Coupled with my ingrained hatred for Birmingham City for the behaviour of their Fans we we beat them in the play offs.

 

Yes, that was rather a scary afternoon.

 

Immensely satisfying. Scummy club with a scummy manager, a match made in Small Heath.

 

I bet you weren't sat with the home fans like I was though....

 

Always been dumfounded by this decision, or I've always been dumfounded

 

Certainly wasn't. What possessed you to do that?! We didn't sell out from what I remember.

 

Said before but Rooney did well at Derby as he had Rosenior as no.2. Derby didn’t give Rosenior enough time and he is showing his ability at Hull.

 

Keep right on.. on towards relegation ehh.

 

Wish them nothing but failure for treating Eustace the way they did. Rooney did well for the most part at Derby and I don’t mind him but it wasn’t a footballing decision.

 

Speaking of Zola, didn't Watford also sack a manager to appoint him. And it was Sean Dyche, in his first managerial role.
Some of these modern day rich owners don't have a clue how to run football clubs!.

 

Eustace would have never kept them fifth - lucky to stay top half.

Boy did he ever get fired at the best possible moment for his reputation!

 

I do agree, they weren't playing great at all. Played some real poor stuff, however atleast they were picking up points. If it was a footballing decision, fair enough, ala Bournemouth sacking O'Neil for Iriola, but its clearly not. It was for the Rooney name, and its severely backfiring. Eustace would have them further up the table, no question imo.

 

I worked at Jaguar in Castle Vale with a Blues season ticket holder who knew a woman in the ticket office so he got me the ticket. There were no etickets back then so I'd have had to either rely on the post or drive up to Barnsley and queue.

Anyway a steward let me into the away end at half time thankfully. I managed to contain myself when we scored the first but I'm sure I'd have let it slip when Brucie started... I wasn't daft, I wore mostly blue clothes.