Tag: Birmingham City

Bill Belichick roasts Tom Brady over Birmingham’s relegation

“I’ll put it in English for you: they suck”

Tom Brady’s record as a player was pretty impeccable, but the initial returns from his career as an owner have been far less successful.

The former NFL star became the minority owner of Birmingham City prior to this season, aiming to translate his Super Bowl-winning pedigree to the world of English soccer.

Though there was plenty of talk about retuning the Blues to the Premier League, the season ended in the exact opposite outcome. On Saturday, Birmingham’s relegation to League One was confirmed.

Just a day after Birmingham’s final game of the season, Brady was the subject of three-hour roast on Netflix.

No subject was off limits in the “G.R.O.A.T. The Greatest Roast Of All Time: Tom Brady,” including his divorce, his vanity, and his questionable business decisions among many, many other topics.

His longtime coach made sure to get in a jab about another investment that hasn’t exactly gone to plan.

“I see your soccer team, Birmingham City, got knocked down another tier in the English Football League,” Belichick said.

“For those not familiar with English football and the intricacies of their obscure relegation system, I’ll put it in English for you: they suck.”

Turning to Brady, Belichick added: “Not so easy running a team, is it Tom?”

Watch Belichick roast Brady over Birmingham

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Retired guy joins English soccer investment party

Tom Brady is now a minority owner of Birmingham City

Now that he’s actually, officially, retired from football, Tom Brady is getting in on the English soccer investment game.

On Thursday, the NFL legend was confirmed as minority owner of Championship side Birmingham City.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion has entered into a partnership with Birmingham’s owners, Knighthead Capital Management LLC, and has also been named chairman of the club’s advisory board.

“So here’s the deal, I’m officially coming on board at Birmingham City Football Club,” Brady said in a video posted on his Twitter account. “And maybe you’re asking, what do you know about English football, Tom? Well let’s just say I’ve got a lot to learn. But I do know a few things about winning, and I think they might translate pretty well.

“I know success starts with the work put in when the world isn’t watching. I know a team is nothing without the city that shows up and stands behind it.

“Most importantly, I know I like being the underdog. The road’s been long for Birmingham, but these fans have never stopped believing.”

Brady, 46, retired for a second and seemingly final time earlier this year after 23 seasons in the NFL. The three-time MVP and five-time Super Bowl MVP is widely considered one of the greatest (American) football players ever.

“Tom Brady joining the Birmingham City team is a statement of intent. We are setting the bar at world class,” said Birmingham’s chairman of the board, Tom Wagner. “Tom is both investing and committing his time and extensive expertise. As chair of the advisory board Tom will have a direct impact on the club. The men’s, women’s, and academy teams are going to benefit from the knowledge. The goal that Tom has committed to own is to make Birmingham City a respected leader in nutrition, health, wellness, and recovery across the world of football.”

Brady is the second NFL legend to recently get involved in English soccer, as JJ Watt and his wife Kealia Watt became investors in Burnley this May.

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Auston Trusty channels Zlatan with outrageous goal for Birmingham City

Was this the goal of the season for Americans abroad?

Auston Trusty may have just scored the goal of the season for Americans abroad.

That is especially notable because:

A. He’s a center back

B. He’s still probably not going to the World Cup, despite being one of the top performing Americans in Europe in 2022-23.

Trusty opened the scoring for Birmingham City against QPR on Friday, turning home an outrageous flick off a corner kick that would make Zlatan Ibrahimović proud.

The 24-year-old has been an ever-present for Birmingham City this season, joining the Championship side on loan following a summer move to Arsenal from the Colorado Rapids. Earlier this week, Birmingham defender George Friend praised Trusty’s ability to adjust from MLS to the Championship.

“I think Trusty has been incredible. I don’t think in the whole time I have been in the Championship I have seen anyone better at coming from a league abroad and just taking to the Championship so easily,” Friend told Birmingham Live.

Earlier this month, Trusty’s coach John Eustace tipped him for a World Cup spot despite the defender still having yet to make a senior USMNT appearance.

After Trusty’s goal, his third of the season, Birmingham’s Twitter account continued to bang the drum for Trusty getting a late World Cup call.

With the USMNT’s well-documented center back issues, maybe they aren’t wrong?

Watch Trusty’s goal vs. QPR

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Birmingham coach: ‘Special’ Trusty deserves USMNT World Cup roster spot

The 24-year-old has been an ever-present for the Championship side this season

Could Auston Trusty be the answer for the U.S. national team at center back? His club coach thinks so.

After Trusty scored a brace for Birmingham City in a 3-0 win over Bristol City on Saturday, John Eustace said he’s spoken to USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter and told him Trusty deserves to be on the World Cup roster.

“It’s definitely not too late,” Eustace said. “I have spoken to the U.S. manager, I have told him how well he is doing, it’s important that they see that and understand he is playing in one of the toughest leagues in Europe, week in week out against top, top players. He should be on that plane definitely.”

Trusty joined Arsenal this summer from the Colorado Rapids and was immediately sent on loan to Birmingham. He’s been a fixture for the Championship outfit, playing every minute of its 13 league games so far.

With just one month to go until Berhalter names his World Cup squad, the uncapped Trusty would appear to be major longshot despite his strong form in 2022-23.

But Eustace has challenged Berhalter to come to a game and decide for himself.

“I think they have watched a couple of games on video but I have told them to come and get the scouts out and watch him play. He should come and watch him himself. He is a special talent and he is going to be a top player going forward.

“He is getting better. He is a young player coming from the MLS into the Championship, a very, very tough league, he has got good players around him. He is in a good environment for him to develop and that’s what I want.

“I want people to come to Birmingham, develop, get better and improve. He is certainly doing that at the moment. We are very happy to have the player playing for Birmingham City.”

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