Tom Brady’s Influence
Birmingham City has had a solid start to the 2023/24 season, so are we seeing the early effects of NFL legend Tom Brady’s investment already?
The superstar quarterback chose England’s second city as perhaps an unlikely choice to start sharing his knowledge of how to win, but with a win and a draw from the first two league games, with a Carabao Cup win thrown in, it does seem that good times could be ahead for the Blues.
We shouldn’t be surprised at the interest shown by American investors though. Other clubs have high-profile owners and backers, but it was the sudden announcement on Brady’s social media that had many eyebrows raised. His seven Super Bowl titles will hold material value in the world of our football, as it shows a huge desire to win, and a sacrifice to achieve.
His video was honest in that he said he has “a lot to learn” about our game. What he does possess though is that thirst for knowledge, and with that a passing of what he already knows in how teamwork can get the job done.
Good Early Form
It is too early to say Birmingham will be a true contender in the Championship, as it is a notoriously tough league to judge. We are seeing new confidence though. Brady was in town for the game last weekend against Leeds United, a 1-0 win courtesy of a stoppage-time penalty converted by Lukas Jutkiewicz. This elevated the Midlanders up to 9th place in the early table. It backed up a credible 1-1 draw on the opening day away at Swansea City.
“I’ve been part of some amazing teams in my day, and I’m looking forward to applying my perspective to create that same success here in Birmingham,” Brady said in his post. He also claimed about loving being the underdog, something that City have been for a while now as they have survived seasons on the brink of relegation, as well as constant turmoil off the pitch with takeover talk.
New Owner, Fresh Start
Now though, with new owner Tom Wagner, an American who now has the majority holding of the club there should be some stability, and a chance to grow both on and away from the pitch. Brady has an official title among all this, that of Chairman of the Advisory Board. It does seem a bit of a stuffy title, and you can’t see Brady being much of a suit upstairs. Instead, he will see himself best as hands-on.
Wagner has been talking a good game, saying the usual right things so far. “We were drawn to Birmingham for a number of reasons. It’s England’s second city, with one of the youngest and most diverse populations in all of Europe. A city on the rise, which is going through a significant transformation.”. On the subject of Brady he explained, “He is not here for promotion purposes. It’s about having Tom very visible. His level of excellence never really tapered off. He will have a significant role in health, wellness, nutrition, human sustainability, an also how we think about player interaction.”
This Saturday, Birmingham visit Bristol City, who have also had a decent start to the new campaign, but with Brady taking the court in the buildup to last weekend’s win, the players will need to soak up all the advice he can pass on. After last week though, and the hospitality shown in local pubs, he was made even more sure that his decision was the correct one. “It was amazing, obviously, winning the game is most important, but seeing the support of the fans, and the Stadium was pretty electric. I have been at a lot of stadiums in my life, and it was a very, very special day.”
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