Birmingham are BOOED off by their own supporters after being beaten at home by Hull as Wayne Rooney calls for his players to ‘adapt to his style quickly’ after losing his first two games in charge of the Championship side

• Birmingham lost 2-0 to Hull in the Championship on Wednesday night
• Rooney was handed a second successive loss since replacing John Eustace
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’ 

Wayne Rooney’s Birmingham were booed off after his first home game in charge ended in a 2-0 defeat to Hull in the Championship.

The Tigers, managed by Rooney’s former assistant Liam Rosenior, ended a four-match winless run to hand Rooney a second successive loss since replacing John Eustace at St Andrew’s.

Liam Delap picked off a poor backpass from Emmanuel Longelo to give the visitors a 12th-minute lead and Jaden Philogene’s long-range strike settled the contest with 16 minutes left.

Rooney admits he will adapt his ‘no-fear football’ philosophy at Birmingham after the defeat to Hull because his players cannot do it.

‘You need to be brave in taking the ball, but it’s clear from the first two games that the players aren’t comfortable doing that,’ said Birmingham manager Rooney.

Wayne Rooney ‘s Birmingham were booed off after his first home game in charge

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‘So there will be slight adjustments of course because we need to pick up points as well.

‘I can get players up the pitch, boot the ball up the pitch and look to pick up second balls, but we need to get the balance right.

‘This is on me – maybe I’ve asked them to do too much and I take that responsibility. We’re asking them to play out from the back and be more front-footed.

‘I said to the lads after the game ‘if you don’t feel you can do it, tell me, and we can adjust and adapt’.

‘There’s so many different elements to no-fear football. They’ve had snots and guts for the last 10 years and it’s been very difficult.

‘But it’s not going to change within two weeks when the players haven’t been used to a completely different way.

The Birmingham fans made their feelings known to Rooney after the full-time whistle 

‘As I’m getting to know players’ strengths and weaknesses, we will find that balance to ensure we get it right.’

Fans made their feelings known to Rooney at the end of the game while the team was booed off at half-time and full-time.

‘That’s part of football. You need to win games to change that,’ said Rooney.

Ipswich showed few signs of rustiness as they kept the pressure on leaders Leicester with a 1-0 win at Bristol City.

Nathan Broadhead’s first-half goal earned Kieran McKenna’s side a 10th victory in 12 league games as they played their first fixture since October 7.

Patrick Bamford missed a penalty before Pascal Struijk scored an own goal as Leeds’ three-match winning run was halted by a 1-0 defeat at Stoke.

Jaden Philogene of Hull City scores their team’s second goal of the match  in the 74th minute

Struijk’s 80th-minute own goal came five minutes after Bamford blazed over the crossbar from 12 yards.

But Leeds remained third as Preston and Southampton drew 2-2.

Kyle Walker-Peters brilliantly put the Saints into a 33rd-minute lead when he cut in from the right to curl a left-footed effort into the far corner.

Preston turned the game around inside the first 10 minutes of the second half as substitute Milutin Osmajic volleyed in an equaliser from the edge of the box before setting up Brad Potts to make it 2-1.

But Ched Evans put through his own net in the sixth minute of added time as Preston’s winless run reached six games.

Sheffield Wednesday’s winless start to the season continued as they were swept aside 3-0 by fellow strugglers Plymouth.

Mustapha Bundu’s 44th-minute free-kick put Argyle ahead and Morgan Whittaker pounced on a defensive error to make it 2-0 at half-time.

An unmarked Ryan Hardie then swept home a third in the 76th minute to emphatically end their four-match winless run.

Rotherham recorded just their second win of the campaign and a first clean sheet as Lee Peltier’s second-half header and Oliver Rathbone’s stoppage-time strike saw off Coventry 2-0.

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

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