In an upcoming Amazon Prime documentary, Birmingham City Football Club minority owner Tom Brady offers a forthright assessment of the club`s former manager, Wayne Rooney. The series, which focuses on Birmingham`s recent promotion to the Championship, highlights Brady`s strong comments, where he labeled some players from Rooney`s 2023-24 squad as “lazy and entitled,” and also raised doubts about Rooney`s dedication.
Brady acquired a minority stake in 2023 and concurrently held the position of chairman on Birmingham City`s advisory board, engaging directly with the club`s leadership and board members.
In the documentary, Brady states, “I`m somewhat concerned about our head coach`s [Rooney`s] work ethic. Frankly, I don`t have a good feeling about it.”
Rooney assumed the managerial role at Birmingham City just eight weeks after Brady`s investment. This move occurred merely three days after the former England and Manchester United star departed from Major League Soccer team D.C. United.
Rooney`s tenure was cut short 2.5 months later, in January 2024, as the team fell 12 points short of a playoff position.
Reflecting on Birmingham`s performance during Rooney`s time, Brady remarked, “We`ve already changed the coach, so the focus shifts to the players, as the coach isn`t on the field scoring goals. They exhibited laziness and entitlement, and such traits rarely lead to success. We must remove everyone connected with losing outcomes, indicating significant personnel changes are likely this summer.”
Rooney`s 16-match period proved to be disastrous, failing to impress the new ownership group, including Brady.
Following Rooney`s exit, Chief Executive Officer Garry Cook issued an official statement asserting, “We are dedicated to undertaking all necessary actions to achieve success at St. Andrew`s. Regrettably, Wayne`s period with us did not unfold as anticipated, prompting our decision to pursue a new path. The search for his replacement commences immediately, and we will inform supporters as further details emerge.”
Upon his departure, Rooney extended gratitude to Brady and the ownership group, conceding that “football operates on results, and I acknowledge that ours were not at the desired standard.”
