Manchester United great Wayne Rooney joins Tom Brady after being named manager of Birmingham

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — First Tom Brady, and now Wayne Rooney. English soccer club Birmingham seems to be collecting sporting icons.

Rooney, a Manchester United great who previously held the record for most goals for England's national team, was appointed manager of the second-division team on Wednesday — only weeks after Brady came onboard as a minority owner.

Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion, also holds a position as advisory board chair, but it is not clear how much of role he played in the decision to hire one of the biggest names in English soccer.

“Wayne is a born winner,” Birmingham co-owner and chairman Tom Wagner said. “We believe, with the support of his coaching staff, the club, and our supporters, he will take Blues forward on the next stage of our journey. His playing philosophy will help to realize the ambitions we have set for Birmingham City.