BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JANUARY 02: A corner flag at St Andrew's Trillion Trophy Stadium during the Sky Bet Championship match between Birmingham City and Queens Park Rangers at St Andrew's Trillion Trophy Stadium on January 02, 2022 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)
Brady became a minority owner at Birmingham in August and is making his influence felt at St Andrew’s amid a tricky spell for new coach Rooney. The Manchester United legend has managed just one win since taking charge in October.
Former NFL quarterback Brady has now sent two staff, Peter Cummings and Rob Brennan, to work with the team. Birmingham’s technical director Craig Gardner confirmed at an Open House that the arrival of the duo has already gone down well with the players.
“Peter Cummings and Rob are two body coaches that have come over from TBRx. They have been here for about three weeks,” he said. “They are writing a philosophy from scratch on how they want it to work. We’ve had a nutritionist come in that works the way Tom Brady wants to work. We are getting a very good reaction from the players.”
WHAT BIRMINGHAM SAID
Birmingham’s CEO Gary Cook said: “The greatest athletes in the world, there is something a little different about them. The ones who are world champions are slightly different. Tom Brady is like that. He has this myopic focus, this unnerving focus about recovery, nutrition, the body, athletes, how they perform, why they perform and when they perform.
“Craig (Gardner) has embraced that. He’s brought some body coaches over from America and they are now working with the physios and sports science team. There’s a new way of thinking. It doesn’t mean to say it works, or it’s wrong, or it’s right. What it is, is change. If you’re willing to change it might work, it might make us better.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Rooney will likely be grateful for the show of support from Brady after a tough spell with the Championship side. Birmingham fans booed the team off the pitch after they failed to beat struggling Rotherham last time out. Brady was in attendance at the game, which left Rooney blasting his players afterwards and calling for changes to his team.
WHAT NEXT FOR BIRMINGHAM?
Birmingham fans will have to wait and see if Brady’s staff can help lift the players and contribute towards an upturn in form. Rooney’s side face Coventry and Cardiff next, before a clash with current league leaders Leicester City.
