Wayne Rooney is on the verge of becoming the new manager of Birmingham, and reports suggest he'll earn three times more than former boss John Eustace. According to The Sun UK, Birmingham City is prepared to offer Rooney an annual salary of £1.5 million, a stark contrast to Eustace's previous earnings of £9,000 per week.
Rooney's potential appointment has generated excitement and anticipation among the club's supporters, thanks to his extensive experience as a player and his prior managerial roles. The team currently holds the sixth spot in the Championship and has recently secured two consecutive victories, making the prospect of promotion to the Premier League under Rooney more attainable.
The 37-year-old former Manchester United and England star had a brief stint as the head coach of Derby County before taking charge of DC United in the United States MLS in July 2022. If he accepts the Birmingham job, his salary will surpass the £23,653 per week he earned at DC United.
Rooney's departure from DC United came after the team missed out on the MLS Cup playoffs. In a statement, he explained, "It's the right time. I've done everything I can to get this club into the play-offs. It's not a single thing that's happened. It's about timing."
Furthermore, reports indicate that Rooney is already in the process of assembling his coaching staff, with former teammates Ashley Cole and John O'Shea potentially joining him. Ashley Cole, a former Chelsea and England left-back, has coaching experience with Derby County, Chelsea's youth teams, and the England U21s. Meanwhile, John O'Shea, Rooney's ex-Manchester United teammate, has worked as a first-team coach at Reading and Stoke City and currently serves as an assistant coach for the Republic of Ireland's senior team.