Wayne Rooney responded to Tom Brady’s remarks about his commitment at Birmingham City, arguing the NFL legend does not understand football well. Brady, a minority owner at the club, questioned Rooney’s dedication in a Prime Video series. Rooney said the visit Brady referenced came on a light training day and did not reflect his workload.
Birmingham stint and context of the criticism
Rooney was hired in October 2023 and dismissed after 83 days with two wins in 15 matches. He noted football requires different rhythms than the NFL and that players need recovery time. Despite his criticism of Brady’s comments, Rooney said he respects Brady’s achievements and acknowledged Birmingham seem to be on a better track now.
How it unraveled at St Andrew’s
New ownership replaced John Eustace with Rooney while the team sat sixth in the Championship. Results declined and Rooney was succeeded by Tony Mowbray, who later stepped aside due to illness, and then Gary Rowett. Rooney said the squad needed major changes and that subsequent coaches also faced difficulties.
Where Birmingham stand now
Under Chris Davies, Birmingham set a League One points record last season and returned to the Championship with aims of pushing toward the Premier League. Rooney discussed the episode on his new BBC Sounds podcast, framing Brady’s comments as a misunderstanding rather than a fair assessment of his approach.
