His case has been helped by Vardy's absence through injury but much of the talk leading up to the game has still centred around the notorious libel case between the former England team-mates' wives Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy.
Mrs Vardy lost her legal case against Mrs Rooney following a two-week trial that attracted national attention. The high court ruled that Rebekah must pay 90 per cent of Coleen’s court costs as a result.
Now, the two families are set to come together as Birmingham host Leicester at St Andrew's. Rooney, Birmingham's new manager, doesn't want his players getting caught up in the 'Wagatha Christie' narrative and has stressed the importance of remaining focused on the job at hand.
Wayne Rooney's Birmingham host Jamie Vardy's Leicester on Monday (Image: GETTY)
Asked about his relationship with Vardy ahead of the game, Rooney replied: “I played with him for England, the same as I played with many players for England.
"He is not someone who I have ever had a relationship with, outside of being away on a training camp or being in games with him. I respect Jamie Vardy a lot, I think he is a fantastic player – he still has a lot to offer Leicester.
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Vardy will miss the game through injury (Image: Getty)
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"But I think what is important is we don’t get dragged into a sideshow about everything that has happened in the past, which everyone is aware has been dealt with from a legal point of view. My job is to focus on Birmingham trying to win the game.”
Since taking over as Blues boss in October, Rooney has earned eight points in his first 10 games in charge. As a result, his team have fallen from 6th to 18th in England's second tier. Leicester come into the match one point clear of Ipswich at the top of the Championship table.