Championship Betting: Wayne Rooney's Birmingham 11/1 for promotion

• Rooney succeeds Eustace as manager

• Blues are 11/112.00 for promotion

• Club currently sixth in Championship

Birmingham City are 12.011/1 on the Betfair Exchange to win promotion to the Premier League after Wayne Rooney was appointed as their new manager.

The club sacked John Eustace on Monday with Birmingham sixth in the Championship and having won their last two games.

They are 50.049/1 to win the Championship and are 12 points off top-spot after 11 games.

A top-six finish, which would see them into the promotion play-offs, is 4.57/2.

Eustace was thought to be in contention for the Rangers job but betting was suspended yesterday with Phillipe Clement odds-on for the Ibrox role.

Rooney a risky appointment for Birmingham

Rooney, who has signed a three year deal at St Andrew's, has spent the last 15 months in charge of DC United before leaving the MLS club at the weekend.

Prior to that he managed Derby County in extremely testing circumstances.

He was praised for galvanising his players after Derby were docked 12 points for entering administration, then a further nine-point penalty for breaching English Football League financial rules, all amid the threat of liquidation.

He is, however, a risky appointment as his time at Derby took place in such unusual circumstances that it is difficult to judge him. Under his management, DC United failed to reach the MLS play-offs this season.

Eustace was popular with Birmingham fans and can think himself harshly treated by the club's American owners.

"I'm genuinely unhappy for John Eustace"

"Wayne's done okay in America... he's not been brilliant"

Birmingham have named Wayne Rooney as John Eustace's replacement - will it be a wise move?#TheGroupChat w/@FootyAccums pic.twitter.com/hRQSriyTT2

-- Betfair (@Betfair) October 11, 2023

Birmingham's new era will begin with a trip to 16th-placed Middlesbrough in the Championship on Saturday week (21 October).

Rooney will face his former-team-mate Michael Carrick as the new Birmingham boss bids to make a winning start.