Wayne Rooney has broken his silence on controversial words from NFL legend and Birmingham City minority owner Tom Brady. In his new podcast ‘The Wayne Rooney Show’, broadcast by BBC Sports, the Manchester United’s all-time leading goalscorer described as “very unfair” the comment in which Brady questioned his work ethic during his brief spell as manager at St Andrew’s.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion joined Birmingham’s ownership in August 2023, just months after Knighthead Capital Management acquired the club. In a documentary following his early steps as an executive, he told his collaborators that he was “a little worried about the work ethic” of the English coach, after a visit in November 2023.
I’m glad that now at Birmingham things are being done well
“When I arrived at Birmingham it was a mess. The players were not the ones who were going to take the club forward. Tom came in one day before a game and I think back then he didn’t understand football. Maybe he does now. He’s a hard worker, we know that, but that comment annoyed me because this is not the NFL. They play three months a year there, here the players also need rest.”
Rooney’s spell at the club was brief: he lasted just 83 days and 15 games, with a record of two wins, before being sacked on January 2, 2024 with the team in 20th position. Although his successor, Tony Mowbray, was able to pick up some points, health problems forced him out of the job and Birmingham ended up being relegated to League One at the end of the 2023-24 season.
In the same documentary, Brady also criticised several players in the squad, calling them “lazy”. “I have deep respect for Tom Brady, he is one of the greatest sportsmen in history. And I’m glad that now at Birmingham things are being done right, like getting rid of players who were not contributing. I think they are on the right track,” explained the former footballer.
The resurrection of Birmingham
After several seasons adrift, Birmingham City have enjoyed a spectacular resurgence. Under the stewardship of Chris Davies, the club achieved immediate promotion to the Championship by being crowned League One champions with 111 points
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