Kristina Roberts
Former football star and Birmingham City manager Wayne Rooney has expressed his disappointment after American football legend Tom Brady questioned his work ethic in a recent documentary. Rooney, who is widely respected for his career in English football, said he was “very disappointed” by the remarks, describing them as “very unfair.”
The situation began when Brady appeared in an Amazon Prime docuseries called Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues. The series, which aired on August 1, follows the Birmingham City Football Club’s journey after Brady became a minority owner in 2023. It gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at the club, the players, and management decisions during that time.
In one episode, Brady spoke directly about Rooney, who was the team’s head coach at the time. He said, “I’m a little worried about our head coach’s work ethic,” and later added, “I mean, I don’t know, I don’t have great instincts on that.” These comments quickly caught public attention, as they suggested Brady was unsure about Rooney’s dedication to the job.
Rooney, who had not responded immediately, later addressed the criticism on his own podcast. He made it clear that he found Brady’s comments unfair and out of context. “I saw that last week from Tom Brady. I think it was a very unfair comment,” Rooney said. He explained that Brady’s view may have been based on a misunderstanding of how football (soccer) works compared to American football.
According to Rooney, Brady had only visited the team once before a game. This visit happened to be on a day when training sessions are usually lighter to allow players to rest. “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,” Rooney said.
Rooney went on to explain that the structure of football in England is different from the NFL. “Football is not the NFL. NFL works for three months a year. Players do need rest as well, so I think it was very unfair, the way he’s come out and portrayed that.” His comments suggested that Brady’s judgment may have been shaped by his own experience in American football, where the training and match schedules are different.
Despite his frustration, Rooney did not personally attack Brady. In fact, he still spoke highly of him. He called Brady “a hard worker” and expressed “respect” for him. He even described Brady as “one of the greatest, if not the greatest athlete of all time.” Still, Rooney’s statement, “I don’t think he really understood football that well,” caught people’s attention. Although Rooney was referring to football in the British sense (soccer), many found the comment amusing because Brady is one of the most famous names in American football.
The tension between the two came during a difficult period for Birmingham City. Under Rooney’s management, the team struggled and had one of its worst seasons. After only 15 matches, Rooney was removed from his position. The club ended up being relegated to League One, which is a lower division in English football.
However, Birmingham City quickly recovered after Rooney’s departure. The following season, they set a new record for the most points scored in League One and earned a promotion back to the Championship. This turnaround added more public attention to Brady’s earlier doubts about Rooney’s leadership.
After leaving Birmingham City, Rooney was hired by Plymouth Argyle in May 2024. Many saw this as a fresh opportunity for him to rebuild his reputation as a manager. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. Plymouth Argyle performed poorly during his short time in charge. By December, with the team sitting at the bottom of the league table, Rooney and the club mutually agreed to part ways.
The disagreement between Rooney and Brady highlights how people from different sports can sometimes misunderstand each other’s work culture. Brady is known for his intense training routines and discipline in the NFL, where the season is shorter but very physically demanding. Rooney’s point was that football managers and players in England have to handle a longer season with more matches, so training schedules often involve lighter days to help players recover.
It also shows how quickly public comments can create tension. Even though Brady may not have intended his statement to cause harm, it struck a nerve with Rooney, especially since it was broadcast to a wide audience. For a manager going through a challenging season, such remarks can feel personal.
In sports, reputations can change fast. Just as Brady is celebrated in the NFL for his unmatched achievements, Rooney is a legend in English football for his years at Manchester United and the England national team. However, being a great player does not always guarantee instant success as a manager. Rooney’s coaching career has been a mix of highs and lows so far, and this incident with Brady added another twist to his story.
Both men still hold respect for each other in public, but it is clear that they see the world of sports through very different lenses. For Rooney, the criticism felt like an outsider’s view that ignored the realities of managing a football team in England. For Brady, it may have simply been an honest observation based on his own standards of hard work and preparation.
Whether or not the two will speak again about the matter is unknown, but the documentary ensured their disagreement became public knowledge. Sports fans around the world found the exchange interesting because it brought together two icons from different worlds — one from the NFL and one from English football — and showed how even the most successful athletes can misunderstand each other’s professions.
In the end, the story is not just about hurt feelings or professional disagreements. It is also about how easy it is for opinions to be shaped by limited experiences. Brady’s single visit to the training ground gave him only a small glimpse of Rooney’s work, yet that moment ended up shaping his view. For Rooney, defending his methods was important, not only to protect his reputation but also to explain the realities of his sport to someone who comes from a very different background.
