Wayne Rooney ice thinning at Birmingham City after 3-0 defeat at Leeds United

Birmingham World reporter Charlie Haffenden's reaction to Leeds United 3-0 Birmingham City, as the pressure ramps up on Wayne Rooney.

Transcript

00:00 The pressure is now well and truly ramping on Wayne Rooney at Birmingham City.

00:05 Yet another defeat, this time away at Leeds United on New Year's Day.

00:09 3-0 the final score, could have been far more.

00:12 I think, obviously a defeat is probably expected away at a team like Leeds.

00:16 A difficult place to go, Ellen Road.

00:18 And then Lily White as well, pushing for promotion this year.

00:21 But it was the manner of the defeat that was so disappointing.

00:24 Lots of calamitous defensive errors once again from Blues.

00:27 And as I say, it could have been far more than just 3-0.

00:30 John Ruddy making a whole host of saves.

00:32 Lee Buchanan and Manny Longelo making two heroic blocks.

00:35 One each to keep the score down.

00:37 It could have really been 5 or 6-0.

00:39 Birmingham didn't really show much threat going forward.

00:42 One chance for Syrica Denvele, one for Juninho Bacuna.

00:46 And a pop shot from Jay Stansfield.

00:48 That was about it, unfortunately.

00:50 And Rooney, his style of play just doesn't seem to be working.

00:53 No midfield control, the full-backs getting caught out all the time.

00:56 Caught out in possession as well when passing out from the back.

00:59 Fans, understandably, calling for a change in management.

01:02 This kind of reeks of when Gary Rowett went,

01:05 Gianfranco Zolo came in and went just a few months later.

01:09 Many years on, it's a different situation.

01:12 The way that Rowett and Eustace left.

01:15 However, you can't help but look back at that time.

01:18 Rowett was doing so well, Zolo did so terribly.

01:21 And this is weirdly mirroring it.

01:23 I think a lot of fans feared that the first moment Rooney came in.

01:27 They gave him a chance.

01:29 He did have a couple of decent results here and there.

01:31 Two wins in his first 15 games, though, isn't good enough.

01:34 There were promising signs a few weeks ago against Leicester City.

01:37 It was a defeat, but a good performance nonetheless.

01:40 But those good signs seem to have disappeared again.

01:43 And I think Wayne Rooney is really going to be feeling the pressure now

01:46 if he can't pick up some more results.

01:48 More improved results, should I say, in the coming weeks.

01:51 There is a little bit of a break, a bit of reprieve now for Birmingham

01:54 before their next outing in the FA Cup,

01:56 before they return to Championship action.

01:58 Will Wayne Rooney be in charge for that?

02:00 I think we'll have to wait and see.