'Weird little attention seeker' - Tom Brady & Tom Wagner slammed for 'embarrassing' dressing down of Birmingham players on Wembley steps after Vertu Trophy final defeat to Peterborough

Having already secured promotion to the Championship with a 2-1 victory over Peterborough, and later crowned League One champions after Wrexham failed to win at Wigan on Saturday, Birmingham entered the Vertu Trophy final with confidence sky-high. With 47 points more than their opponents and two previous wins over them this season, the Blues were tipped to complete the double.

However, Peterborough ripped up the script as they emerged 2-0 winners in the showpiece event. First-half goals from Harley Mills and Hector Kyprianou stunned Birmingham, who were unable to find any response during a largely uninspired display at Wembley.

While thousands of Birmingham supporters applauded their team’s efforts during the medal ceremony, footage of minority investor Brady and Birmingham co-owner Wagner speaking directly to the players on the stadium steps stirred heated discussion online. Instead of leaving the debrief to manager Chris Davies, the American duo were seen engaging the entire team with what appeared to be a motivational, or possibly critical, speech - all while the victorious Peterborough squad waited to collect their winners' medals.

The timing and setting of the impromptu address rubbed many fans the wrong way.

@NathanDrozario1 wrote on X: "What an embarrassment he [Wagner] is."

@_avfcjames said: "Got to be all about him hasn’t it the weird little attention seeker."

@acotswoldvoice added: "Eh, this isn't the NFL Mr Brady, this is the Royal Box at Wembley. A little more decorum please 🏈 🐐"

@karlbenwatson wrote: "Do it in the dressing room. Only doing this because Tom Brady is there and the cameras are out. So self-indulgent to hold them up there whilst the winners are waiting."

@Son_Lyme added: "What a load of performative nonsense."

Despite the disappointing result at Wembley, Birmingham’s promotion campaign remains a major triumph. Following relegation to the third tier for the first time since 1995, the club underwent a major overhaul last summer, spending heavily to rebuild the squad under new leadership. The gamble paid off, as the Blues have not only secured a return to the Championship but are now on track to potentially surpass Wolverhampton Wanderers’ record points total of 103 in a single League One season. They will be back in League One action against Crawley Town on April 18.