Tom Brady slams Wayne Rooney with harsh criticism, labeling the Manchester United legend as ‘lazy’.

Wayne Rooney’s brief spell as manager of Birmingham City ended in disappointment, with the team being relegated under his watch in the 2023–24 season. A new Amazon Prime documentary sheds light on how club co-owner and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady viewed the Manchester United and England legend during that difficult period.

 

Rooney took over following a high-profile ownership change but was dismissed after a poor run of results left the Blues struggling. His successor, Chris Davies, took the helm in the summer of 2024 and managed to guide the team back into the Championship.

 

The documentary Built in Birmingham: Brady and the Blues, set to debut this Friday, chronicles Birmingham’s tough season and their rivalry with Wrexham. It features previously unseen footage in which Brady questions Rooney’s effectiveness as a coach. Speaking to business partner Ben Rawitz, Brady expresses concern about Rooney’s motivation, to which Rawitz responds that the former striker appears “lackadaisical” — meaning lacking drive or enthusiasm.

 

In another scene, Brady speaks with Rooney directly, advising him to treat every training session like a major final, emphasizing intensity and effort. He draws parallels between the demands of soccer and American football, urging Rooney to raise standards.

 

When Rooney arrived in October 2023, Birmingham were in fifth place. But by January, the club had slipped to 20th, and despite finishing on 50 points, they were relegated on the final day. Reflecting on the situation, Brady admits the leadership made changes too quickly, which contributed to the club’s decline.

 

Rooney later had a short tenure at Plymouth Argyle but was again let go before the season’s end, and the club also suffered relegation. Meanwhile, under Davies, Birmingham bounced back spectacularly, winning League One with 111 points — 19 more than second-place Wrexham. The club invested wisely in the squad, with key players like Jay Stansfield and Alfie May helping secure promotion.

 

This summer, the team continued building momentum, re-signing Demarai Gray and bringing in Kyogo Furuhashi from Rennes, suggesting optimism is returning to St Andrews.