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Rooney sacked by Birmingham after 15 games
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Blues are 4/15.00 for drop and 500/1501.00 for promotion
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Parker, Lampard, Mowbray could be linked
Birmingham City's relegation odds shortened to 4/15.00 from 20/121.00 during Wayne Rooney's disastrous 13-week reign as manager.
The St Andrews club sacked Rooney on Tuesday morning following their New Year's Day 3-0 defeat to Leeds.
Rooney won just two of his matches as Birmingham boss, losing nine and drawing four, as they went from play-off contenders to relegation candidates.
Blues dropped from 6th to 20th under Rooney
City were sixth in the Championship, and 5/16.00 to finish the season in the play-off places, when they sacked John Eustace and replaced him with Rooney in October.
They are now 150/1151.00 for a top six finish and 500/1501.00 for promotion.
Rooney leaves them 20th in the Championship and just six points outside the dropzone. They face a crucial run of games this month against Swansea & Middlesbrough at home, and Stoke away.
Birmingham owners seek successor
Fans will have serious questions to ask of the American owners who appointed Rooney because of his ill-defined "football philosophy" and global name recognition.
They are now searching for a manager who can repair the damage done by Rooney's brief spell in charge and get Birmingham climbing the Championship table.
Professional development coach Steve Spooner will take interim charge for Saturday's FA Cup tie with Hull but finding a permanent successor to Rooney may not be easy.
Steve Cooper would be the dream appointment for Blues fans. He was sacked by Nottingham Forest in December but worked wonders to get the east Midlands club into the Premier League and keep them there.
Cooper is more likely to hold out for a Premier League job, however, or at least one at a Championship club with stable and serious owners.
Jesse Marsch, Scott Parker, Tony Mowbray and Frank Lampard are all likely to be linked with the role. Parker steered Bournemouth to promotion while Lampard took Derby to a play-off final.
Birmingham would be wise to target a manager who knows the Championship well and can steer them away from danger.