John Eustace will vouch that time is a commodity Birmingham’s owners don’t hand out readily to their managers, so it remains to be seen whether Wayne Rooney can buy more of it thanks to his A-list status.
Birmingham captain Dion Sanderson is convinced Rooney will be a success at St Andrew’s. But a five-game winless start after last month’s needless sacking of Eustace in favour of his high-profile replacement hardly suggests the Manchester United legend has become a better coach during his stint in Major League Soccer.
For all the mission statements to the contrary from their US owners, Birmingham have so far gone backwards under the 38-year-old, whose players, if not all of the club’s fans, have bought into his promise of a bigger, better, brighter future.