‘I don't think he understood football' – Wayne Rooney hits back at ‘unfair' Tom Brady comments questioning work ethic
WAYNE ROONEY has hit back at Tom Brady's questioning of his "work ethic" at Birmingham City.
The American football icon, who became a minority owner of the League One side in August 2023, questioned Rooney's desire during a visit to the club's training ground in November 2023.
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Wayne Rooney had his desire questioned by Tom Brady during his time in charge of Birmingham
Credit: REUTERS
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NFL icon Brady questioned Rooney's 'work ethic' during a visit to the Blues' training ground
Credit: PA
The seven-time Super Bowl winner claimed he was "a little worried about our head coach's work ethic" in a fly-on-the-wall documentary about his part-ownership of the club.
Rooney was left bitterly disappointed by Brady's critique, saying on his BBC podcast: "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.
"But what he does understand is, he's a hard worker, we know that."
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Rooney, who was sacked by the Blues in January 2024 after just 83 days, added: "Football is not NFL – 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."
Despite being irked by Brady's comments, Wazza insists he bears no ill will towards Brady.
The 39-year-old said: "Listen, I respect Tom Brady massively.
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Wayne Rooney's record-breaking career
WAYNE Rooney took the football world by storm when he made his debut for 2002 with Everton.
He quickly became the club's youngest-ever goalscorer aged 16 years and 342 days and was named the BBC's Young Sports Personality of the Year.
The striker joined Manchester United in 2004 and spent 13 years at Old Trafford. He went on to make 559 appearances for the Red Devils and scored 253 goals. To this day he is still the club's all-time leading goalscorer.
Following his spell with United, Rooney returned to Everton for a season. He also spent one-season stints with D.C. United and Derby County at the end of his career.
As well as his impressive club career, Rooney is also England's second-highest goalscorer with 53 goals in 120 appearances, behind only Harry Kane.
After hanging up his boots, the England icon turned to a career in management.
He took charge of Derby County in 2020 and managed to just about save the club from relegation from the Championship at the end of his first season.
However, with Derby handed a 21-point deduction the following campaign, he was unable to keep them up again and subsequently left.
Then came a 15-month spell in charge of MLS side D.C. United. He failed to impress during his time in Washington and parted ways with the club at the end of the 2023 regular season.
Rooney was controversially handed the Birmingham job in October 2023, replacing John Eustace with the club doing well and sixth in the Championship table.
However, in 15 games he suffered nine defeats and managed just two wins. He was sacked in January 2024 with Birmingham down in 20th. The club were relegated to League One at the end of the campaign.
He returned to management in May with Plymouth Argyle but managed just five wins in 25 games. The United legend now finds himself out of work once again.
"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."
Wayne Rooney lands £800k deal to be Match of the Day pundit as he and wife Coleen become British TV's new power couple
Rooney took charge of the Blues in October 2023 after the controversial sacking of John Eustace, who had the club sitting pretty in sixth place in the Championship.
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But the Manchester United and England legend, was given the boot after just 15 matches at the St Andrews helm, insists he inherited a sinking ship.
He said: "When I went into Birmingham, they were in a mess really.
"Hence the fact that the players weren't really the players who could take the club forward.
"You had Tony Mowbray, Gary Rowett after me, who also struggled as well."
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