Wayne Rooney ‘very disappointed’ by Tom Brady’s criticism of his work ethic

Tom Brady became part of Birmingham City’s ownership group in August 2023, so he was around when the club hired English soccer legend Wayne Rooney as its manager that October.

However, the former NFL quarterback and current Fox NFL analyst was not very impressed with Rooney’s ability to lead the Blues. In the Amazon Prime Video docuseries Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues, Brady offered his concerns about Rooney, saying, “I’m a little worried about our head coach’s work ethic,” adding, “I mean, I don’t know, I don’t have great instincts on that.” The American football star also called the team’s players “lazy and entitled.”

Rooney was fired as manager in January 2024 after just 15 matches as the Blues were 20th of 24 in the Championship. They would eventually be relegated to League One for the first time in 29 years.

Rooney, widely considered one of the best British soccer players of his generation, finally responded to Brady’s comments on his new podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show.

“I saw that last week from Tom Brady. I think it was a very unfair comment,” said Rooney. “When I went into Birmingham, they was in a mess, really. Hence, the fact that the players weren’t really the players who could take the club forward.

“I think Tom came in once, which was the day before a game where the days are a little bit lighter anyway, and I don’t think he really understood football that well at that time. Maybe he does now.

But what he does understand is, he’s a hard worker. We know that. So that’s why I’m very disappointed with the comment, because football is not the NFL. NFL works for three months a year. Players do need rest as well, so I think it was very unfair, the way he’s come out and portrayed that.”

Rooney did offer some praise for Brady, saying he’s one of the greatest athletes of all time.

“Listen, I respect Tom Brady massively,” Rooney added. “He’s one of the greatest, if not the greatest athlete of all time, and Birmingham do look like they’re getting it right now, which is good. I think what they have done is got the players out that they needed to get out.”

Sure enough, Birmingham reloaded in 2024, spending a League One record on transfers. As such, they ended up breaking the record for most points in a season (111), finishing top of League One, and earning promotion back to the Championship.

Rooney can at least take solace in the fact that the reviews for the docuseries have not been kind to Brady.