Wayne Rooney has asked for patience from Birmingham City fans (Picture: Getty Images)
Wayne Rooney says he understands the frustrations of Birmingham City fans after losing his first two games as manager but has asked for patience as he changes the team’s style of play.
John Eustace was sacked as Blues boss with the team sitting sixth in the Championship, with Rooney coming in from MLS side DC United.
Two games and two defeats later, Birmingham have slipped to 12th and have not scored a goal since the Manchester United legend took over.
A 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough was followed by a 2-0 loss at home to Hull City, with some Birmingham fans booing the team off the pitch at St Andrews.
Rooney accepts that some supporters are not happy, but insists things will improve when he gets his message across to the players, and ultimately when new players arrive.
On his message to fans, Rooney told Sky Sports: ‘Be patient. I get it, I understand. They parted ways with a very popular manager who did a good job in stabilising the club, so I understand a bit of frustration, of course I do.
‘But we need to realise where we’re trying to go. Not where we are now, where we’re trying to go. That’s our aim, that’s our ambition and that’s what we’re hoping to achieve.
Rooney takes his Birmingham side to Southampton on Saturday (Picture: Getty Images)
‘My first line to the players is that we’re going to try and play in a different way, which might be a bit uncomfortable for some of you. If you’re not comfortable with it, please tell me.
‘What you don’t want to do…of course you want to change how we want to play, I’m very open and clear on what I’m saying on that.
‘What I don’t want to do is put someone completely out of their comfort zone, which I probably think the last two games, in terms of building out from the back, we have been. So that’s something for me to adjust.
‘Then obviously throughout January, throughout the summer you start building your squad for what you want. But that’s not saying that the players now don’t have an opportunity to show me what they can do and that they’re on board with that. The players have been great from that point of view.’
‘We need to get better on game management, on decision-making, that needs to improve a lot.
‘For me now this is an opportunity for me to prove myself as a coach here at Birmingham, to get Birmingham out of the Championship.’
Next up for Rooney and his team is a tough trip to Southampton on Saturday lunchtime.
MORE : Wayne Rooney reacts to latest Birmingham loss as fan tells him to ‘f*** off back to America’
MORE : Wayne Rooney backs Jude Bellingham to become England’s ‘future captain’ after Harry Kane
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It’s been a tough start for Rooney at his new club.