Wayne Rooney says he turned down the chance to manage in Saudi Arabia before taking the Birmingham City job and believes his new club can make it to the top level of English football.
The former Manchester United and England striker was named as the new manager of the Championship side earlier this week after leaving MLS club DC United.
Birmingham’s CEO, Garry Cook, revealed he had played a part in trying to lure Rooney to Saudi Arabia while working as the Saudi Pro League’s CEO thogugh admitted it was a “non-starter”
“I felt for my development that my pathway was a different way,” Rooney said.
“That is no disrespect to any manager that has gone out there, by the way.
“To get back into English football is great, it’s what I’ve wanted to do, and to be honest I’ve had other opportunities in the last four to six weeks at other clubs as well to do that.
“Seeing the ambitions of the club, where they want to go and where they want to get to, excites me.”
Rooney takes over at Birmingham following their decision to part ways with John Eustace, despite a solid start to the season which sees the club sit sixth in England’s second tier.
Cook cited bigger ambitions behind the decision to sack Eustace and hire Rooney, something the former Derby County boss echoed.
“It is something that as a football fan I’d really want to follow and have a real interest in,” he added.
“I believe we can really climb from the Championship into the top level and then, at that point, you sit down and create new targets.
“I love the fact we are in a good position. I love the challenge, I love the pressure of it.
“That is something I have dealt with since I was a young kid, coming through from 16 years of age. It might be new to some of the players, so my job is to make sure that I get them ready for that.”
