Wayne Rooney has described comments made by NFL legend Tom Brady questioning his work ethic as “very unfair,” following his brief tenure as head coach of Birmingham City.
Rooney was dismissed by the club in January 2024 after just 83 days in charge. Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl winner, had joined the club as a minority owner five months earlier, in August 2023.
Speaking on the first episode of his new podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show — which premieres on Friday and airs twice weekly on BBC Sounds, YouTube, and iPlayer — the former England captain said he was “really disappointed” by Brady’s remarks.
Brady made the comments during a documentary that followed his early involvement with Birmingham. After visiting the club’s training ground in November 2023, he expressed concern to colleagues, saying he was “a little worried about our head coach’s work ethic.”
Rooney pushed back, pointing out that Brady’s visit coincided with a matchday preparation — typically a lighter training session — and suggesting the NFL icon misunderstood the structure and demands of football management.
“I think Tom came in once, which was the day before a game where the days are a little bit lighter anyway,” Rooney said. “And I don’t think he really understood football that well.”
“What he does understand is hard work — we all know that. But football is not the NFL. NFL players work three months a year, and in football, players also need proper rest. So I think it was very unfair the way he’s come out and portrayed things.”
Rooney, who previously played for Manchester United, Everton, and the England national team, has not returned to management since leaving Birmingham but remains a prominent voice in the football world through media and punditry.
