Wayne Rooney has hit back at Tom Brady after the NFL great questioned his work ethic during his brief managerial spell at second-tier English club Birmingham City, saying the criticism was “very unfair”.
Former New England Patriots quarterback Brady, minority owner of Birmingham, in an Amazon Prime documentary series titled ‘Built In Birmingham: Brady & The Blues,’ had said he was a little worried about Rooney’s work ethic.
Ex-Manchester United and England forward Rooney, 39, was dismissed as the manager of Birmingham in January last year after less than three months in the role, following a winless run that left the club hovering above the relegation zone.
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“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,” Rooney said on the Wayne Rooney Show podcast.
“But what he does understand is he’s a hard worker; we know that.”
“Football is not the NFL. The NFL works for three months a year. Players do need rest as well, so I think it’s very unfair… the way he’s come out and portrayed that.”
Seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady became a minority owner in Birmingham in August 2023.
“Listen, I respect Tom Brady massively,” Rooney said.
“He’s one of the greatest, if not the greatest athletes of all time, and Birmingham does look like they’re getting it right now, which is good, and I think what they have done is got the players out. They needed to get out.”
