The former Manchester United and England striker, who previously coached DC United and Derby County, was appointed Birmingham manager on Wednesday with the club lying sixth in the second-tier Championship.
Birmingham, who were taken over by US-based Shelby Companies Limited in July and had seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady become a minority owner the following month, sacked boss John Eustace on Monday, despite him masterminding an impressive start to the new campaign.
‘I have total respect for Wayne Rooney as a player,’ a furious Sutton told the Daily Mail.. ‘And actually, you know, what he did at Derby County as a manager, but it (this situation) stinks.
‘The whole thing absolutely stinks. It stenches. It just does – the whole Eustace sacking and then, you know, that period of time before Rooney was announced. I mean, this was always bound to happen.
‘This was the worst kept secret in football, wasn’t it? When Eustace lost his job, we all knew who was going to take over. But there was that.
‘I feel for John use just more than anybody else. Look, it’s up to Birmingham and the owners, the route they want to go down. And essentially, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
‘If Wayne Rooney does a really job, a good job and gets Birmingham back to the promised land, the Premier League, then you’ll have to say it’s the right decision. But based on where Birmingham were and the direction they were heading in under John Eustace…’
He continued: ‘This is a major gamble from Birmingham. And they’re probably looking at the commercial value, the sponsorships, that people will look at Birmingham in a different way.
‘But essentially if you’re a Birmingham City fan you just want to get promoted. And you want the best person in place, the best person for the job.
‘And it’s questionable whether Wayne Rooney is the best person for the job. But you have to give him a chance, of course.’
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