Birmingham City 'flop' delivers explosive Wayne Rooney rant

Former Birmingham City winger Jermaine Pennant has given a brutal verdict on Wayne Rooney's start to life at St Andrew's Stadium. The ex-Blues man, who left for Liverpool in 2006 after what many Bluenoses describe as a flopped spell, believes Birmingham will live to regret this season's decisions.

It's been a torrid first couple of months for Rooney in B9, with not a single win in any of his first five fixtures in charge. Just one point has been picked up out of an available 15, causing concern for Pennant as he sees his old side plummet down the Championship standings at a rapid pace.

"It's sad to see what's happening at Birmingham. John Eustace will be sitting there with a cigar and a cup of tea at home. Birmingham were sitting pretty in sixth, but they're now 18th and eight points off relegation," Pennant told King Casino Bonus.

"That's a catastrophe and a massive blunder. There was no reason to look at Wayne Rooney or any other manager considering what they did last season. I know it's early days, but it doesn't look as if it's going anywhere," Pennant said.

Blues owner Tom Wagner explained the appointment of Rooney was to turn to "no-fear football" while instilling a "playing philosophy to help realise the ambitions" set out for the club. The first impressions have failed to convince most supporters – and Pennant – of these promises, however.

"Wayne Rooney hasn't earned the right to be given a job like this," Pennant argued. "I thought the American owners saw him as a marquee name, but they need to understand it doesn't work like that. It's not American football or basketball, it's English football.

"You need a manager who knows how to win games. We need to ask ourselves how long we give Rooney and his staff. I'm not very confident based on what I'm seeing. I'm not sure if things can get better. It's not like they can go out and splash £100 million on players.

"I'm not sure what they can do in six months' time to help turn things around. I think Birmingham will be in the bottom half, and I think they won't be far off where they are now - fighting with relegation," Pennant continued.

It's understandable why there's so much pessimism from Pennant as just one of the five matches under Rooney has provided even a hint of improvement from the time under Eustace, and even that ended disastrously as there was a late capitulation in the 2-2 draw with Ipswich Town.

The fixtures have been tough, though, it has to be said, so maybe some slack can be cut. This weekend's tie against Sheffield Wednesday will really put the cat amongst the pigeons in either a positive or negative way; it's a must-win game, otherwise Blues fans might turn on the new manager very quickly.