"Roll with it" - Cody Drameh makes claim on Wayne Rooney's style at Birmingham City | OneFootball

Highlights

Birmingham City defender Cody Drameh says the team needs to “roll with it”, as they get to grips with Wayne Rooney’s new playing style.

The Blues appointed Rooney as their new manager over two weeks ago, and it hasn’t been the best of starts for the former Derby County and DC United manager.

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Rooney was brought in during the recent international break, so he had time to work on the training ground with the players, but it wasn’t until last weekend that he took charge of his first game.

Prior to Rooney’s first game in charge, Birmingham had won their last two games in the league, so they returned after the break full of confidence.

However, they weren’t able to take that into the game against Middlesbrough, as they were on the end of a 1-0 defeat, with Morgan Rogers grabbing the winner in the 89th minute.

The Blues then had their first home game under Rooney on Wednesday night, and it was against Liam Rosenior’s Hull City, who is familiar with Rooney having worked together at Derby.

But it was Rosenior who claimed the bragging rights, as his side won 2-0 thanks to goals from Liam Delap and Jaden Philogene. That means Birmingham are now winless in their last two games and travel to Southampton on Saturday searching for their first win under Rooney.

What has Cody Drameh said about Birmingham City under Wayne Rooney?

Drameh has been a regular for the Blues this season, and that has continued under the new management.

The defender, who is on loan from Leeds United, has played 90 minutes in both of Rooney’s games, and while they haven’t yet scored and have lost both, Drameh says everyone must be patient.

He told BBC Radio WM, via BBC Sport: “The gaffer has come in and wants to implement his ideas, and we're taking it in.

"It's going to take a little getting used to. It will take some time, but we will get there.

"We just have to roll with it. Whoever comes in and works with us, we have to do the best we can and try to keep improving. And, with the players we've got, we can do that."

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Can Wayne Rooney succeed at Birmingham City with this new style?

The main reason that the Birmingham owners made the change in the international break was that they wanted to see a different type of football at the club.

Even though John Eustace was getting the results, the new American owners wanted it to be more pleasing to the eye, and that is where Rooney comes in.

He has been tasked with getting the results, but doing it in a more entreating way. So far, they are playing the style they want, but the results are not coming with it.

So Drameh is right; there needs to be a bit of patience around the club, as Rooney has been in the job for two weeks and is still trying to get to grips with the squad. However, it may come to a point where Birmingham need to do the basics right before they try and play this brand of football.

The Championship is a long, hard season, and there are times when it is just about the result, and certain teams will not let you play this free-flowing, on the front foot football. So there needs to be an understanding from the owners, manager, and fans.