Birmingham City progressed to the second round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening with a 2-1 win over Sheffield United at St. Andrew’s.
Blues will play Port Vale in their next cup game, with Jay Stansfield’s 87th minute goal ensuring victory after Gustavo Hamer had equalised in spectacular, yet controversial, fashion for the Blades.
It’s been a strong first week back in action for the West Midlands outfit, despite Ipswich Town equalising in the final minute of their opening Championship fixture last Friday, and attention now turns to their trip to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.
However, off the field, Wayne Rooney has entered the fray once again, with the former Birmingham manager responding to co-owner Tom Brady, after he made comments about the ‘work ethic’ of the Manchester United legend in the club’s new documentary series.
Wayne Rooney hits back at Birmingham City owner Tom Brady
It was in the 2023/24 campaign when Rooney took charge of Blues, and after a strong start under John Eustace, the club started to slide down the table. Eventually the ex-Derby County boss was sacked, but it was too late for the team to turn their form around and avoid relegation.
Plymouth manager Wayne Rooney applauds fans after losing the Sky Bet Championship match between Burnley FC and Plymouth Argyle
Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images
Nevertheless, during a meeting between Brady and his club’s former head coach, he started to worry about his ‘work ethic’ and now Rooney has hit back at the NFL icon. He said: “I think it was a very unfair comment.
“When I went into Birmingham they were in a mess, really. The players weren’t really the players who could take the club forward.
“I think Tom came in once, which was the day before a game where the day is a little bit lighter anyway, and I don’t think he really understood football that well at the time. Maybe he does now.
“But what he does understand is, he’s a hard worker. That’s why I’m really disappointed with the comment. 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.”
Wayne Rooney’s Blues record is one to forget
Chris Davies has made Birmingham his own over the course of the last year, and Tom Wagner and Brady made an exceptional decision in bringing him to the club.
Yet, they will still have regrets over hiring Rooney, with his record at Blues still remembered by those at St. Andrew’s.
Wayne Rooney, manager of Derby County talks to the press after the Sky Bet Championship match between Coventry City and Derby County
Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images
The 39-year-old won just two of his 15 Championship games in charge of Birmingham, drawing four times and losing nine matches.
Rooney was sacked on 1 January 2024, before taking charge of Plymouth Argyle that summer – with the Greens sacking their former boss in December as they struggled at the bottom of the Championship.