Wayne Rooney's stays in MLS feel incomplete as new Birmingham City manager ends second short stint with D.C. United

The younger generation probably can't fathom it, but at one point, D.C. United were the dominant power in MLS. They had iconic players, big wins and major trophies. This was a club unmatched for many years, one that every other team aspired to be.

By the time that Rooney arrived in 2018, D.C. United were... not that. For years, they'd been near the bottom of MLS. They'd failed to qualify for the postseason the year prior and had not made the playoffs in five of the previous 10 seasons. A club that was once a titan was now in the mid-to-lower rung of MLS.

Rooney, for D.C., was a big swing that everyone had been waiting for. The club's move from broken-down RFK Stadium to the brand-new Audi Field required a big name, and Rooney was one of the biggest the club could have gotten. After years of watching rivals sign star after star, D.C. finally had a familiar face of their own as they looked to usher in a new era at the club.

During his time in MLS, Rooney did exactly what the world expected he would: score goals. He netted 25 of them in fact, in just 52 games. Some were spectacular, including a goal from inside his own half that will go down as one of the most ridiculous of his career. All things considered, that is really saying something.

However, it's not a goal that proved his standout moment, but an assist, one that will be part of MLS lore forever. With his side level with Orlando City, head coach Ben Olsen made the unorthodox decision to send goalkeeper David Ousted up for a corner-kick. As Orlando cleared, Will Johnson was left to run free towards the ball with no one in net on the other side.

But, as you watch the play unfold, you see Rooney sprinting back as hard as he can. There were many miles under those legs, but he had just enough left to chase down Johnson. His thumping tackle took the Canadian to the ground, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

He wasn't done, though. Rooney then ran onto the ball, picked his head up, and played a crossfield ball 50 yards towards goal. It fell right on the head of Luciano Acosta, the smallest man on the field. The Argentine headed home, D.C. United won the game, bedlam.

It was a moment that encapsulated the effort and attitude Rooney brought to D.C. United. From the moment he arrived, the former England captain seemingly enjoyed his experience being one of the guys rather than the celebrity he had been since he was a teenager. He went out on the town with team-mates, showed some of the younger ones the finer things in life and, generally, just enjoyed some time out of a spotlight that had been so bright back home.

Eventually, though, home did come calling, and Rooney couldn't say no. At the time of his departure, Rooney felt like he was hitting his stride with D.C. In 2018, he was the club's MVP and golden boot winner, having scored 12 goals in just 21 matches. He was just as good in 2019, scoring 13 times in total for the club.

But, just a-year-and-a-half into his three-and-a-half year contract, Rooney left D.C., agreeing a a deal to become player-coach at Derby County.

When he left as a player, it seemed American soccer had seen the last of Rooney. He worked wonders with Derby despite the club being a total disaster. With Rooney having eventually taken over as manager, the club was in administration throughout the 2021-22 season and were deducted 12 points. Despite Rooney's best efforts, the club finished seven points from safety, a legitimate achievement considering the lack of resources available to him.

When he stepped down after that season, though, the questions began. Where would Rooney end up next? Had he earned a chance to move up the ladder? Would a Premier League club come calling? Rooney's boyhood club Everton were heavily linked with one of their former heroes.

Rooney did, in fact, join one of his former clubs, but shocked the world by announcing he'd be heading back to D.C. United to continue his coaching career in America. He replaced Hernan Losada, whose tactics and man-management style never caught on in D.C.

For the second time, Rooney was being brought in to change the fortunes of a club that had fallen on hard times. And for the second time, he provided a shot in the arm, albeit for a short period of time.

It was clear from the beginning that both the club and coach knew this would be a temporary partnership. Upon arriving in the summer of 2022, Rooney signed a deal lasting through just December 2023, while his family never moved to D.C. alongside him.

His first half-season was essentially a wash. He arrived at a broken club, one that ultimately finished in last place. He would be judged on 2023, on how much better he could make that broken club in a short amount of time.

And, against all odds, D.C. United were better. Thirteen points better to be exact. Despite a series of challenges, none more difficult than star forward Taxi Fountas' midseason departure due to racism allegations, Rooney kept the club in it through the season. There were some on-field swings and misses, for sure, as Rooney continued to evolve as a young coach but by and large, D.C. were a much better team under Rooney's guidance.

The club was never able to replace Fountas, though, as he was dismissed outside of the transfer window. An injury to starting winger Martin Rodriguez didn't help matters either. D.C. United's season didn't fall flat until the final weeks, however..

But it did fall. A 2-4-4 record over the final few weeks saw D.C. United miss the playoffs. Shortly after their final game - a 2-0 win over New York City FC - Rooney and the club confirmed that all involved had agreed to part ways.

"I've done everything I can to get this club into the playoffs," he said. "It's not a single thing that's happened. It's about timing."

According toThe Washington Post, there were times when Rooney was open to staying. The club, however, took a wait-and-see approach as the coach's fate would depend on the results of the season. After missing the playoffs, his fate was sealed.

Shortly after, he was confirmed as manager of Birmingham City as, for the second time, he departs D.C. United for a crack at England's Championship. Both of his stays lasted the same amount of time, just a year and a half, and both feel like they ended a bit prematurely, even if, for some, it seemed like the plan all along.

At the end of the day, there really isn't much reason for Rooney to give a damn about his American legacy, especially because his worldwide one is so secure. He's one of England's best ever, one of the top Premier League players in history, a true icon of the game no matter where you're from. Still, it's hard not to feel that Rooney could have, and maybe should have, accomplished a bit more in this part of the world.

As a player, he had shown no signs of slowing down during his time with D.C. and with his skillset, he could have been a dominant force throughout the duration of his contract. Hindsight is 20/20, but Acosta, the player on the end of that famous cross, is going to win MLS MVP this season as a member of FC Cincinnati. If D.C. could have kept that duo together, could anyone have stopped them? What other players would have jumped at the chance to join Rooney in lifting the club had he stayed just a little bit longer?

And then, as a manager, his tenure showed positive signs, but also growing pains. Young players improved, the results got better and then he was gone. His tenure essentially boiled down to one MLS season which saw him navigate crisis after crisis with the club unable to really sign the players he would need to truly contend. Making the playoffs in MLS is the bare minimum, of course, but Rooney didn't get too much of a chance to build a club in his image considering the length of his stay.

As such, Rooney's MLS legacy is one that feels a bit unfinished. It's one filled with what- ifs and what-could-have-beens. Rooney certainly enjoyed his time in the U.S., and you could argue he succeeded in both stays, but it's hard to feel that MLS got the most out of him, and vice-versa.

As for D.C. United, they'll head for yet another rebuild, and the hope is that this time around, they'll find some long-term solutions.

It's been nearly two decades since the club reached an MLS Cup final, and all of the club's success came long before the league's modern era. D.C. United is not a club in need of a short-term fix; it's one in need of a total rebuild as they look to finally catch up to their peers.

The club will first need to appoint a general manager, having operated without one this season. That GM will be responsible for hiring a third coach in three seasons as well as rebuilding a roster that, while not cheap, definitely wasn't well-equipped.

It'll be about more than personnel, though. It'll be about strategy and spending and ambition. The club has taken big swings, mostly on Rooney twice, but D.C. is a team that needs to define its path to success. Clubs like FC Cincinnati, the Philadelphia Union and the Columbus Crew have proven you can win in MLS without massive spending on salaries or transfer fees. What can D.C. do to bring that success to Audi Field?

That answer will come without Rooney, who will be asking himself a similar sort of question now in Birmingham. He'll continue his coaching career back in England having learned from his experience in D.C.

Ultimately, though, his time at D.C. as a coach will hopefully be the footnote at the beginning of a long and successful coaching career, just as his time in D.C. as a player will be remembered as a footnote at the end of a long and successful playing career.