Birmingham City have sacked head coach John Eustace amid reports that they hope to appoint Wayne Rooney as his successor.
Blues have enjoyed an excellent start to the new Championship campaign, collecting 18 points from 11 matches on the back of transforming their squad over the summer.
That was a consequence of the club's takeover and money generated from the sale of Jobe Bellingham and sell-on fee from Jude Bellingham's switch from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid.
Such was Birmingham's improvement, whose joint-highest finish of 17th over the past seven years came in 2022-23, that Eustace has been linked with a move to Rangers.
However, shortly after reiterating his commitment to Birmingham, speculation emerged that chairman Tom Wagner was considering bringing in Rooney, who left DC United at the weekend.
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Although that approach is yet to be confirmed, Birmingham announced on Monday morning that they had parted company with Eustace, despite wins over Huddersfield Town and West Bromwich Albion last week.
A club statement read: "It is essential that the Board of Directors and the football management are fully aligned on the importance of implementing a winning mentality and a culture of ambition across the entire Football Club. With this in mind, Birmingham City has today parted company with Head Coach, John Eustace.
"Eustace departs after 15 months in charge, having helped to stabilise and strengthen the club on the pitch following his appointment in July 2022.
"In his first season at the helm, he guided the team to a 17th-place finish, securing Sky Bet Championship status with three games remaining. During his time at St Andrew's, he galvanised the squad to deliver a number of memorable moments in testing circumstances.
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"The club would like to thank John for his contribution. His dedication and work ethic was evident throughout his time in B9 and he will always be welcomed back to St Andrew's.
"A new First Team Manager will be announced in the coming days who will be responsible for creating an identity and clear 'no fear' playing style that all Birmingham City teams will adopt and embrace."
Eustace departs St Andrew's with a record of 21 wins, 16 draws and 26 defeats from his 63 matches in charge, Birmingham entering the international break in sixth position in the Championship standings.
Meanwhile, Rooney, who began his managerial career with an impressive stint at Derby County when faced with points deductions and transfer embargos, has just left DC United with a return of 14 wins, 14 draws and 25 losses from 53 matches in charge of the MLS club.
Darren Plant
