Former England Star Wayne Rooney Rejected Offer From Saudi Arabia

Former England Star Wayne Rooney Rejected Offer From Saudi Arabia

It looks like the Saudi Pro League was not able to lure everybody to the Middle East. Wayne Rooney, the recently appointed head coach of Birmingham City in the EFL Championship, apparently turned down a move to Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

The former Manchester United and England striker, who has previously managed Derby County in England and DC United in the MLS, was offered a position by current Birmingham City chief executive Garry Cook when he worked as the CEO of the Saudi Pro League.

“We discussed Saudi Arabia. It wasn’t going to happen,” Cook said at a press conference Thursday.

If Rooney had made the leap to the desert kingdom, he would joined former England teammate Steven Gerrard in moving to the Saudi Pro League to manage. Gerrard controversially accepted the head coaching role at Saudi club Al-Ettifaq in July.

Rooney claimed that his rejection of the Saudi Pro League offer was not one of disrespect to the league or to the managers and players who have moved there recently.

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“For me, I felt my development, my pathway, was a different way. I think for myself, firstly to get back into English football is great. It’s what I’ve wanted to do,” Rooney said. “I’ve had opportunities over the last four to six weeks at other clubs as well, but since speaking to Birmingham, it was a really easy decision. I want to be successful; it’s clear this club wants to be successful; and everything we spoke about was very similar.”

Rooney’s first game in charge of Birmingham City will be on Oct. 21 against Middlesbrough. It will be his first match on the touchline since leaving DC United after the club failed to make the MLS Playoffs.

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