Wayne Rooney insists he wants to manage in the Premier League ‘in the next 10 years’ despite being sacked after three months at Birmingham… and singles out two clubs as his ‘dream jobs’

Wayne Rooney has not given up on his dream to manage in the Premier League and singled out Everton and Manchester United as his dream clubs.

Rooney spent a combined 16 years at Goodison Park and Old Trafford as a player and admitted he would love to return to either club in a managerial capacity, despite a dismal spell at Birmingham saw him sacked after just three months in charge.

The Manchester United great replaced John Eustace in October but was sacked last month, after winning just two of his 15 games in charge and losing nine.

Birmingham were sixth in the Championship when Rooney was appointed, but by the time he was sacked they were only six points above the relegation zone. 

But Rooney, who won just 14 of his 53 games in charge of DC United before taking over at St. Andrew’s, insisted the early setbacks in his managerial career had not fazed him.

Rooney was sacked by Birmingham after just three months in charge 

‘I definitely want to get back into management,’ he said on BBC One, where he appeared as a pundit for United’s FA Cup fifth round tie away at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night. 

‘The aim is to manage in the Premier League eventually, Manchester United or Everton are the dream jobs, but it’s a process. 

‘In the next 10 years hopefully I can be in with a chance of taking one of the top jobs.’ 

Rooney’s appointment a major gamble by American consortium Knighthead, which include NFL great Tom Brady and took over the club last summer.

The experiment backfired spectacularly and the former Everton star conceded the ‘timing wasn’t right’ for him to take over at St. Andrew’s.

‘It was a setback what happened at Birmingham but I’m a fighter and I want to get back into it. 

You know as a manager part of the job is being sacked and having setbacks and it’s about how you bounce back. 

Rooney singled Everton and United – with whom he won 12 major trophies – as the clubs he would love to manage

Rooney began his career at Everton and returned to Goodison Park in 2017

I’ve had time to reflect and know what to do next time. I’ve never signed a player for any money so that would be nice next time!’

I’ve had time to reflect and know what to do next time. I’ve never signed a player for any money so that would be nice next time!’

Rooney, however, insisted he knew he would never win the fans over.

‘Maybe the timing wasn’t right when I went in at Birmingham, the fans didn’t accept me from day one,’ he said.