BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — With two sporting icons on board, it’s no surprise Birmingham is aiming for the top.
The team from England’s Second Division, co-owned by NFL superstar Tom Brady and now coached by former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, have set their sights on the Premier League.
Looney, who was introduced by the club on Thursday, enjoyed working with seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady.
“It’s great that he’s joining the football club. He’s very ambitious in taking the club forward,” Rooney said. “It’s clear that he is fully involved in the development of the club.”
Brady became a minority owner of Birmingham in August and serves as chairman of the advisory board.
Rooney, 37, won five league titles and the Champions League with Manchester United as a player. As a coach, he has coached second division team Derby County and Major League Soccer team D.C. United.
Now at Birmingham, he believes he can fulfill his ambition of coaching in England’s top flight by guiding the Midlands club back to the Premier League for the first time since 2011.
“I want to be successful, obviously this club wants to be successful and everything we talk about is very similar,” he said. “That’s the goal of the club and myself, of course, to get the club back into the Premier League.
“The Premier League is where we want to be. It’s my ambition, it’s the club’s ambition and we’re working flat out to make sure we get there in the near future.”
Birmingham currently sit sixth in the Championship.
Rooney resigned as coach of Major League Soccer side D.C. United on Sunday after one season in charge, appointing former Chelsea and England defender Ashley Cole and ex-Manchester United player John O’Shea to his coaching staff member.
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