Wayne Rooney has broken his silence after being sacked by Championship side Birmingham City.
The former Manchester United forward, who was handed a three-and-a-half-year deal in October, just three days after John Eustace was dismissed, took over when the Blues were flying high in fifth.
Rooney soon vowed to "elevate" the Championship club following his much-talked-about appointment but he struggled from the get-go.
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In fact, Birmingham would record just two victories from a possible 15 during Rooney's disastrous 83-day reign and on Tuesday morning, with the team sitting in 20th place, he was relieved of his duties.
Shortly after the news was confirmed by Birmingham, Rooney mentioned not being given enough time in a telling statement.
He said: "I would like to thank Tom Wagner, Tom Brady and Garry Cook for the opportunity to manage Birmingham City FC and the support they all gave me during my short period with the club.
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"Football is a results business – and I recognise they have not been at the level I wanted them to be. However, time is the most precious commodity a manager requires and I do not believe 13 weeks was sufficient to oversee the changes that were needed.
"Personally, it will take me some time to get over this setback. I have been involved in professional football, as either a player or manager, since I was 16. Now, I plan to take some time with my family as I prepare for the next opportunity in my journey as a manager.
"Finally, I wish Birmingham City FC and its owners my best wishes in the pursuit of their ambitions."
The Championship club, who currently sit 20th in the league table, also released a statement after the news emerged.
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It read: "Birmingham City has today parted company with Manager, Wayne Rooney, and First Team Coach, Carl Robinson.
"Despite their best efforts, results have not met the expectations that were made clear at the outset. Therefore, the Board feels that a change in management is in the best interests of the Football Club.
"The Club’s Board and management are fully aligned and will continue to drive transformation and take bold steps to rebuild Birmingham City into the organisation its fans and community deserve.
"The Board would like to place on record their sincere thanks to Wayne and Carl for all of their efforts."
Garry Cook, the Chief Executive Officer at Birmingham, commented: “We are committed to doing what is necessary to bring success to St. Andrew’s.
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“Unfortunately, Wayne’s time with us did not go as planned and we have decided to move in a different direction.
“The search for a successor begins with immediate effect and we will update supporters when we have further news."
They also confirmed that Professional Development coach Steve Spooner would assume responsibility for first-team matters on an interim basis.
The statement added: "The remaining coaching staff will be required to continue with their duties to assist Spooner. No further comment will be made at this time."
Featured Image Credit: Getty ImagesTopics: Wayne Rooney, Birmingham City, EFL Championship