WAYNE ROONEY has hit back at Tom Brady's questioning of his "work ethic" at Birmingham City.
The American football icon, who became a minority owner of the League One side in August 2023, questioned Rooney's desire during a visit to the club's training ground in November 2023.
The seven-time Super Bowl winner claimed he was "a little worried about our head coach's work ethic" in a fly-on-the-wall documentary about his part-ownership of the club.
Rooney was left bitterly disappointed by Brady's critique, saying on his BBC podcast: "I think Tom came in once, which was the day before a game where the days are a little bit lighter anyway.
"And I don't think he really understood football that well.
"But what he does understand is, he's a hard worker, we know that."
Rooney, who was sacked by the Blues in January 2024 after just 83 days, added: "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."
Despite being irked by Brady's comments, Wazza insists he bears no ill will towards Brady.
The 39-year-old said: "Listen, I respect Tom Brady massively.
"He's one of the greatest, if not the greatest athletes of all time and Birmingham do look like they're getting it right now, which is good.
"And I think what they have done is got the players out that they needed to get out."
Rooney took charge of the Blues in October 2023 after the controversial sacking of John Eustace, who had the club sitting pretty in sixth place in the Championship.
But the Manchester United and England legend, who was given the boot after just 15 matches at the St Andrews helm, insists he inherited a sinking ship.
He said: "When I went into Birmingham, they were in a mess really.
"Hence the fact that the players weren't really the players who could take the club forward.
"You had Tony Mowbray, Gary Rowett after me, who also struggled as well."