Simon Jordan reacts to Wayne Rooney sack news following 3-0 Leeds United win v Birmingham
Simon Jordan has claimed it was not the 3-0 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road, but the other 14 results during his Birmingham City tenure that saw Wayne Rooney sacked.
As reported by The Mirror [2 January], Rooney has been fired from his role as Birmingham manager following the heavy 3-0 defeat to Leeds and just two wins from 15 games in charge.
Jordan went on to speculate over what the decision means for Rooney’s future managerial career given his failure seeing Birmingham crash from 6th to 20th in the Championship.
Speaking live on talkSPORT [2 January, 10:15], Jordan offered his view: “Losing to Leeds at Elland Road, a side that’s third or fourth in the league, is always going to be a difficult fixture.
“The point is, it’s not the 3-0 to Leeds, it’s the other 14 games that have preceded it and put him in this problem. If he’s lost his job, no one wants that to be the case, because you want these players that have got the gumption to go out and try and manage sides, I admire him for that.
“I don’t think it was the right appointment for him, or for Birmingham, and I hope, there’s a part of me that hopes he’d get an opportunity to turn things around, but if he doesn’t, what does that say about his management career? Where does he go next?”
The final nail in the coffin
A resounding display from Leeds at Elland Road which saw three goals and even Patrick Bamford get on the scoresheet appears to have been the straw that broke the camel’s back after a disappointing spell in the West Midlands for Rooney.
It was a typical Leeds performance this season where they put their opponent to the sword and took their chances, but it has to be said they were given an immediate advantage by Birmingham’s recent struggles.
Jordan had been critical of the appointment since the board opted to replace John Eustace with Rooney while the club were flying, and has been proven right as Birmingham quickly plummeted towards the relegation zone with teams around them picking up points.
Ultimately, it would appear to be the right call to sack Rooney given his appalling record since arriving in the Championship, but it is a shame to see yet another former player struggling to impress when stepping into a managerial role.
In other Leeds United news, Leeds must accelerate their transfer move after another new blow.