Mikaël Silvestre on whether he believes Wayne Rooney can get Birmingham City promoted to the Premier League this season | OneFootball

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Mikael Silvestre has given his verdict on Wayne Rooney’s appointment at Birmingham City.

The Blues moved to bring in the 37-year-old during the October international break, controversially replacing John Eustace at the helm of the first team squad.

The Midlands club currently sit sixth in the Championship table and are hoping to fight for promotion to the Premier League this campaign.

Rooney spent the last year or so with DC United in MLS, where he led the team to an underwhelming ninth place finish, failing to reach the play-offs.

The former striker’s previous management experience in England saw him in charge of Derby County as they suffered relegation to League One, albeit under difficult financial circumstances.

What has Mikael Silvestre said about Wayne Rooney’s appointment at Birmingham?

Silvestre believes that Rooney is stepping into a much healthier position at St. Andrew’s than he did when he was at Derby, which should give him a better platform to succeed.

The former Manchester United teammate has also highlighted the calibre of coaches he has brought to the club as an indication of Rooney’s ambition to do well with the Championship side.

“I don’t follow Birmingham City, so I can only speak about Wayne as a professional,” said Silvestre, via GG Recon.

“Ever since he first kicked a football, Wayne’s been passionate about the sport.

“He’s not new to management and he’s already managed in the Championship, which is a very difficult league in general, with Derby County, where he had to deal with points deductions, so at least he’s in a better position now with Birmingham City.

“The Championship is a very tough league and if you have to go through the play-offs, then it can be a very long season, but this job gives Wayne the platform to grow and improve as a manager.

“I’m sure he will embrace working in England again and work hard to achieve success with Birmingham City.

“His coaching staff, which includes Ashley Cole and my former teammate John O’Shea, will play a big part too and they will need to help Wayne as he’s still a young manager.

“They need to work hard as a team if they’re to achieve their objectives at the club.”

Where are Birmingham City in the Championship table?

Birmingham return to action this weekend following the October international break, where Rooney will meet another of his former Man United teammates.

Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough side hosts Birmingham at the Riverside on 21 October.

Can Wayne Rooney succeed at Birmingham City?

Rooney’s reputation from his previous coaching experience is difficult to parse due to the circumstances surrounding Derby and DC United.

However, his record isn’t mind-blowing, and Eustace was a fan favourite among the Birmingham supporters.

So Rooney is stepping into a difficult situation, in which the pressure will be on to succeed immediately.

Boro are also a difficult first opponent given their excellent recent form, but Rooney will be focusing more on the long-term goals of the club than getting three points this weekend.

This stint at Birmingham has the potential to make or break the 37-year-old’s managerial career, as the club is set to give him the backing he’ll need to succeed.