Wayne Rooney has hit back at Tom Brady after the American football legend questioned his work ethic during his ill-fated tenure as Birmingham City manager. The dispute, described by some as 'ultra-processed beef', stems from comments Brady made in a documentary released in July, seven months after Rooney was sacked. Brady, a minority owner of the Championship club, said: 'I'm a little worried about our head coach's work ethic.'
Rooney, who has since launched his own podcast, responded by dismissing Brady's criticism as 'very unfair'. The former Manchester United and England striker argued that Brady's only visit to the club came the day before a match, a time when the workload is typically lighter. 'I don't think he really understood football that well at the time,' Rooney said, while also acknowledging Brady as 'one of, if not the greatest athlete of all time'.
The row has been widely covered by the BBC, which broadcast Rooney's podcast and ran a story headlined 'The Brady Beef'. Rooney himself sought to downplay the spat, insisting there is 'nothing too serious' and calling for everyone to 'move on'. The clash marks the latest in a long line of high-profile disagreements in English football, a sport that has long been 'addicted to beef', as the Football Daily newsletter noted.
