Birmingham City players have already made their brutal Wayne Rooney feelings known

Members of the Birmingham City squad have already voiced their concerns over the recent tactical changes at the football club, Wayne Rooney has admitted. The new head coach told the media on Wednesday that some players have been open enough to share their feelings of discomfort following the 2-0 defeat to Hull City.

Boos rang out around St Andrew’s Stadium as Rooney came to the end of a disastrous home debut but it was the voices in the dressing room that resonated with the new manager the most. It appears the former England captain is open to adjusting his plans to adhere to the demands of the squad he has inherited from John Eustace.

“I spoke to the players after the game and I’ve asked them to be honest with me. There are changes. I’ve asked them to go from being on the back foot to being more front-footed. I’m asking them – the two centre-backs, the goalkeeper and Krystian Bielik – to get us playing and we didn’t look comfortable,” Rooney explained.

“I’ve said to the players, listen, if you don’t feel comfortable and don’t feel like you can do it, tell me. We can adjust, we can adapt to that. So, it’s something for me to look at in terms of whether I am asking too much too soon. I can adjust slightly what we’re trying to do. For example, if you look at Hull, the goalkeeper and number six dictate the play and make it very difficult to press them.

“That’s where we need to get to in terms of that composure because I felt we gave so many chances away from losing the ball and panicking on the ball. Too many players weren’t happy passing the ball to a teammate and did not accept responsibility, putting teammates in trouble. So, lots of improvements to be made but we need to be patient with it,” Rooney continued.

Success will take time is the message from Eustace’s successor and he’s open to feedback from his players to aid the process. Honesty, for example, was something Rooney requested from his dressing room and he got it in abundance.

“Yes,” was the manager’s straight-to-the-point answer when asked if they’d told him of their worry. “Of course, that’s my job now to deal with that and fix that, coming out with a way they’re comfortable playing. But also, trying to implement the mentality I want to play,” Rooney concluded.

A tough start for the new gaffer, then, and it’s only going to get more difficult as Birmingham travel to take on Southampton this weekend. After that, Ipswich Town head to St Andrew’s before a trip northeast to face a third and final successive promotion hopeful, Sunderland.