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Two months following his departure from the managerial position at Birmingham City, a decision made by the ownership group led by Tom Brady, Wayne Rooney is embarking on an unexpected career path by joining BBC Sport as a football pundit. Rooney’s first assignment will be to provide analysis during the FA Cup fifth-round game featuring Manchester United against Nottingham Forest.
Expressing his enthusiasm about this new venture, Rooney remarked, “Watching the BBC’s coverage of the FA Cup every year was always very special growing up. I’m so excited to be joining up with the team to cover what will undoubtedly be an action-packed tie in this historic competition. Having played and managed in the competition, it’s great to be on the other side of the camera this time and hopefully, I can bring some of that FA Cup experience to the coverage.”
Throughout his celebrated career, Rooney clinched the FA Cup title once, during the 2015-16 season with Manchester United. After hanging up his boots, he ventured into management, taking charge at Derby County and D.C. United, before his brief stint with Birmingham. Under the co-ownership of Tom Brady, Rooney’s tenure at Birmingham was short-lived, producing only two victories in 15 matches.
Despite his current pivot to punditry, Rooney’s passion for coaching remains undiminished. He has openly expressed his aspiration to return to coaching, citing a desire to learn from Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola. Moreover, during an appearance on The Overlap, Rooney conveyed his ambition to resume a role in management or coaching, emphasizing it as his primary career focus moving forward.
