Tom Brady, Birmingham AFC’s owners face criticism for team's lackluster season under Wayne Rooney

Tom Brady's latest venture isn't sailing smoothly. The seven-time Super Bowl champion became a stakeholder in the English soccer team Birmingham City, who play in the Championship, the second tier in the country's football pyramid.

Brady was part of the investor group led by hedge fund manager Tom Wagner, which acquired a 45% stake in the club. The euphoria of having the NFL's greatest player in the club's leadership group has dissipated quickly.

Birmingham City began the 2023-24 season with five wins, three draws, and three defeats in their first 11 games. However, their start was better than the previous season, where they had three wins, four draws, and four defeats.

Despite the improvement, the leadership group decided to sack manager John Eustace. This was a surprise move considering his role in helping the team avoid getting relegated to English football's third tier the previous year.

After the team's 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion, the head coach was relieved of his duties. Birmingham City released a statement that read:

"It is essential that the board of directors and the football management are fully aligned on the importance of implementing a winning mentality and a culture of ambition across the entire football club."

Eustace's exit paved the way for Wayne Rooney, former Manchester United player and Derby County manager, to take over as the team's head coach. While Tom Brady was excited to have him on board, the move has been a disaster so far.

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Tom Brady and Birmingham City's Wayne Rooney punt failing

Tom Brady's Birmingham City hired Wayne Rooney as HC in October

Since Wayne Rooney took over as Birmingham City's head coach, the team's form is in dire straits. The Manchester United icon lost his first game in charge, a narrow 1-0 loss to Middlesborough.

His first home game as head coach ended in a dismal 2-0 defeat to Hull City before a 3-1 loss away to Southampton completed a hattrick of miserable results for Birmingham City.

Rooney finally managed to suspend the slump with a 2-2 home draw against Ipswich Town, but a 3-1 road defeat to Sunderland continued their freefall on the points table. They ended their four-game winless run with a 2-1 victory at home over Sheffield Wednesday. However, a 4-2 loss away to Blackburn Rovers and a 0-0 home draw with Rotherham saw them drop to 15th on the points table.

Tom Brady and the leadership group's decision to sack Eustace and hire Rooney has been a disaster so far. Their first big step as part of Birmingham City's decision-makers is undoubtedly unpopular among the club's fans.