Birmingham eye 2022 promotion-winning manager as Ipswich kick off their winter business with loan move

Wayne Rooney’s 83-day tenure as Birmingham City boss has come to an end and the board are now searching for a new manager to revive the club’s faltering season.

Professional development coach Steve Spooner has been placed in temporary charge of first team duties as the search for a long-term manager begins.

Many names have been linked with the Birmingham City post and co-owners Tom Wagner, Tom Brady and Garry Cook will be hopeful of naming a new boss sooner rather than later to ensure the club gets the best possible chance to sign players during the January transfer window.

With that in mind we have rounded up all of the latest reports surrounding the search for Birmingham’s new manager along with the latest transfer stories from the rest of the Championship.

Former Nottingham Forest man emerges as clear favourite for Birmingham job

Former Nottingham Forest and Swansea City boss Steve Cooper has emerged as the outstanding favourite to replace Wayne Rooney in the St Andrews’ dugout. Cooper has been out of work since 19 December when he was relieved from his duties at the City Ground after a poor run of form.

However, the 44-year-old is still held in high regard by the Forest faithful due to the work he did throughout his 28-month stay.Cooper is credited with guiding the Reds to promotion to the Premier League in his first season, despite inheriting a side who were bottom after the first seven games. Cooper won three manager of the month awards in his first term with the club and won promotion via the play-offs - ending a 23-year hiatus from the top-flight.

He went on to guide the club to safety in his first season with a 16th place finish and has been one of the team’s most successful managers in the 21st century.

Given his track record of reviving struggling teams, he has been placed as the SkyBet favourite for the Blues post at odds of 10/11.

Ipswich secure first signing of the January transfer window

Ipswich have been the surprise package of the Championship so far and the Tractor Boys are dreaming of becoming just the fourth team in history to secure back-to-back promotion directly from League One to the Premier League.

Kieran McKenna’s side are keen to bolster their squad in the winter window and have made a statement of intent with the loan signing of Brighton winger Jeremy Sarimento.The Ecuador international spent the first half of the season with West Brom, scoring two goals in 21 appearances.

He has been on the books at Brighton since 2021 and has previously been in the academies of both Benfica and Charlton Athletic. Sarimento made 14 appearances for the Seagulls in the Premier League, but fell down the pecking order slightly after the arrival of Roberto de Zerbi.

The 21-year-old was part of the Ecuador team which competed in the 2022 World Cup and he has been capped 13 times for his country.