Wayne Rooney doesn't hold back after Tom Brady questions former Birmingham boss' work ethic

Wayne Rooney fired back at Tom Brady’s suggestion that he lacked commitment during his time in charge of Birmingham City. He framed the criticism as a misunderstanding between two different sporting worlds.

The dispute stems from Amazon Prime’s "Built in Birmingham: Brady & The Blues", which follows the club’s turbulent 2023-24 season.

In one episode, Brady, a minority owner at Birmingham, is shown telling a colleague he was “a little worried” about Rooney’s work rate after a visit to the training ground.

Rooney, speaking on the debut episode of his BBC podcast set to launch Friday, said the Tom Brady's impression was shaped by a single appearance on the eve of a match.

"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.

"But what he does understand is, he's a hard worker, we know that."

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After Tom Brady criticised Wayne Rooney's work ethic in a viral documentary clip, the former Birmingham boss has responded... 💬

The former Manchester United and England captain, appointed in October 2023, lasted 15 matches before being dismissed the following January after just two wins.

Former England captain calls Tom Brady's assessment "very unfair"

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Wayne Rooney defended his tenure, saying he inherited a squad ill-equipped to meet the club’s ambitions.

He also drew a sharp contrast between soccer’s year-round demands and the NFL’s seasonal rhythm.

"Football is not NFL ... the NFL works for three months a year. Players do need rest as well, so I think he's very unfair, the way he's come out and portrayed that," Rooney said.

Tom Brady’s criticisms weren’t limited to the manager. In the documentary, he called members of the relegated squad “lazy and entitled.”

Despite their disagreement, Rooney was quick to acknowledge Brady’s pedigree

"He's one of the greatest, if not the greatest athletes of all time and Birmingham do look like they're getting it right now, which is good and I think what they have done is got the players out that they needed to get out."

Meanwhile, Birmingham's new boss, Chris Davies, oversaw an aggressive rebuild last summer, backed by about £30 million in transfers.

The investment delivered instant results: the club stormed to the 2024-25 League One title with a record-breaking 111 points.