Brady criticizes Rooney and Birmingham players: “Lazy and Entitled”

Tom Brady, minority owner of Birmingham City and NFL legend, has expressed his doubts about the “work ethic” of the team’s former coach, Wayne Rooney, and has called some players in the 2023-24 season’s squad “lazy and entitled.” Brady, seven-time Super Bowl champion, became a minority owner of Birmingham in August 2023, following the acquisition of the club by Knighthead Capital Management LLC and American financier Tom Wagner.

I’m a little concerned about our coach [Rooney]’s work ethic.

Tom Brady

These statements were made by Brady in an Amazon Prime documentary that will be released on Friday, focusing on Birmingham’s rise to the Championship last season.

Rooney was appointed Birmingham manager two months after the Knighthead and Brady takeover, but lasted only 83 days in the job, as the club was relegated to League One.

We’ve already changed the coach, so it’s really the players because the coach doesn’t go out and put the ball in the goal.

Tom Brady

Brady added that the players were “lazy” and “entitled”, and that there would be many changes in the summer.

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Following relegation in 2024, Birmingham spent a record sum on signings for League One and achieved promotion with a record of 111 points in the English Football League. Birmingham has also been active in the transfer market this summer, ahead of their return to the second division of English football, incorporating six players so far, including former Premier League winner Demarai Gray, as well as former Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi for 9 million euros (10 million dollars) from Stade Rennais. They will start the season at home against Ipswich Town on August 8th.