Wayne Rooney insists Birmingham must ‘roll our sleeves up and dig in’ as Tom Brady’s Championship side suffer eighth straight away defeat against Coventry

Rooney's side slipped to a 2-0 defeat away to Midlands rivals Coventry City on Friday night. Since the Manchester United legend was appointed boss by the new American consortium, fronted by minority owner and NFL great, Tom Brady, the Blues have earned a measly five points from a possible 27. The Blues sit in 16th place in the Championship and, should this form continue, look perilously close to falling into a relegation battle.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Rooney said: "It's disappointing. It's frustrating but we have to roll our sleeves up. We have to dig in. We are going through a difficult period, we know that. But we have to dig in and stick together to pick up more points."

Birmingham have tumbled down the table since Rooney was surprisingly appointed as the new boss at St. Andrews in October. Popular manager John Eustace had guided Birmingham to sixth in the table and into the hunt for the playoffs before he was replaced. Now, any hope of promotion has been snuffed out and avoiding relegation appears the very best Blues fans can hope for.

The new American ownership consider Rooney as part of their long-term project at Birmingham. However, few would be surprised if his time in the dugout is cut short. Looking devoid of ideas and inspiration, the Blues may dip into the transfer market in January - whether Rooney is still in charge remains to be seen.