The recent remarks made by Tom Brady, formerly of the New England Patriots, in a documentary have drawn criticism from Wayne Rooney, the previous manager of Birmingham City. According to The Athletic, Rooney expressed his “deep disappointment” with Brady’s assessment, deeming it “highly unjust.”
The source of the dispute lies in the Amazon Prime docuseries “Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues,” which premiered on August 1. The series documented the activities of Birmingham City Football Club following Brady’s acquisition of a minority ownership stake in 2023.
During one segment of the series, Brady voiced concerns about Rooney’s commitment to his role, stating, “I have some reservations about our head coach’s level of effort.” He later added, “To be honest, I’m not sure, my instincts aren’t great on this.”
Rooney responded to these criticisms on his own podcast, characterizing Brady’s statements as “unfair,” as reported by The Athletic.
“After reviewing what Tom Brady stated last week, I felt it was a quite unjust assertion.
“I believe Tom attended only one session, occurring the day prior to a match when the training load is intentionally lighter. I’m not convinced he possesses an in-depth understanding of the sport, even though it’s clear he embodies a strong work ethic.
“Soccer differs substantially from the NFL. The NFL operates for only a quarter of the year, and even then, players necessitate adequate periods of recovery. Thus, I found his public portrayal to be quite unfair.”
Ultimately, Brady’s perspective prevailed as Rooney was dismissed after only 15 games. Birmingham City experienced one of its poorest seasons, resulting in relegation to League One.
Despite his displeasure with the comments, Rooney was careful to avoid direct attacks on Brady. He acknowledged Brady as a “dedicated worker” and expressed “respect” for him. Rooney also referred to Brady as “one of the greatest, if not the single greatest, athlete in history.”
Rooney also made a memorable statement regarding Brady, saying, “I don’t think he really understood football that well.” It’s clear that Rooney was using “football” to refer to soccer, but the comment still creates a humorous image of Brady.
Following Rooney’s departure, Birmingham City quickly demonstrated resilience. The team achieved a record-breaking point total in League One the following season and secured a promotion.
Rooney was subsequently appointed as the manager of Plymouth Argyle in May 2024. However, his time with the club was brief, lasting only a few months. With the team struggling in last place, Rooney and Plymouth Argyle mutually agreed to part ways in December.
Rooney, widely regarded as one of the most talented soccer players of his generation, has not been appointed by another club since his departure from Plymouth Argyle.
