Former England soccer star Wayne Rooney has defended his brief managerial stint with Birmingham City FC against what he described as a ‘very unfair’ comment from NFL legend Tom Brady. The criticism, which surfaced in a recent docuseries about the club, focused on Brady’s questioning of Rooney’s ‘work ethic’ after a single day of observing training. Rooney, who was sacked after just 83 days in charge, responded in an interview on the BBC’s ‘The Wayne Rooney Show,’ arguing that Brady’s understanding of football was limited at the time and that comparing football to the NFL was inappropriate.
Brady, a minority owner of Birmingham City since 2023, joined the club as part of its new ownership, and the docuseries highlights the team’s progress under his influence. While Brady’s comments were taken out of context, Rooney emphasized that the NFL’s structure—where players work for three months a year—differs significantly from the continuous demands of professional soccer. Despite the criticism, Rooney acknowledged Brady’s work ethic and praised the club’s recent improvement, stating Birmingham is now one league away from the Premier League.
Rooney’s tenure as manager was marked by challenges, including a poor start to the season and eventual relegation. Now, Birmingham City is preparing for a potential return to the Premier League after securing promotion last season. The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the differences between sports cultures and the media’s role in shaping narratives around athletes’ transitions into new roles.