'Inspired me even more' - Birmingham City signing reveals impact of 'GOAT' Tom Brady on summer transfer

Ducksch’s journey has been anything but ordinary. A Borussia Dortmund academy graduate, he made his professional debut under Jürgen Klopp before carving out a journeyman career across Germany with St. Pauli, Holstein Kiel, Fortuna Düsseldorf, and Hannover. It was at Werder Bremen, however, where his career truly exploded. Ducksch spearheaded Bremen’s promotion back to the Bundesliga in 2022 and went on to score 32 goals in three top-flight seasons, earning a call-up to Germany’s national team under Julian Nagelsmann. 

However, it hasn’t all gone smoothly for Ducksch since landing in England. Arriving with a calf injury, he had to wait until mid-September to make his first Championship start against Swansea City. Just as he was finding his rhythm, fate struck again: a warm-up injury before a clash with Coventry City forced him out of the lineup. So far, Ducksch has made only four appearances and is still chasing his first goal in English football.

Ducksch insists it was Brady’s motivational pep talk that sealed the deal. Speaking on the Auf der Linie podcast, Ducksch recalled the surreal moment: "When I arrived for the medical and the contract signing, they handed me the phone, and I was allowed to speak with Tom Brady. That inspired me even more to speak with the GOAT in person. That was when I finally knew I had made the right decision."

Despite the slow start on English shores, Ducksch isn't panicking: "Absolutely not. The project behind it is very exciting. I always set high goals for myself, and the club’s goals matched my personal ones."

Backed by Knighthead Capital and fronted by Brady’s star power, Birmingham City are tearing up the traditional Championship playbook. No longer content to scrap for survival, the club is plotting a Premier League comeback, and even whispering about future European nights. The mastermind behind this transformation is Joe Carnall, the club’s head of recruitment. Promoted from chief scout, Carnall is described as a data obsessive who relies heavily on coding and analytics to shape Birmingham’s transfer blueprint. Forget teenage wonderkids, Carnall’s model is all about experience, resilience, and leadership. The club’s 14 new signings this season have an average age of 26.1, reflecting a focus on proven performers who can grind through the relentless Championship schedule.

“We’ve got to (keep spending),” the NFL quarterback great told The Sports Agents podcast. “We’ve got to keep up with one another. Wrexham have, I’d say, done an incredible job. I mean, you can’t be anything but excited about what they’ve done for that club… I’m so impressed by Wrexham. What they do on the pitch, off the pitch, and again, they’re in a great position to succeed as well.”

On the pitch, manager Chris Davies has been tasked with turning this ambitious squad into a promotion force. But it’s been a rocky start. After nine matches, Birmingham sit 16th in the table with just 12 points, a frustrating tally given the club’s lavish summer overhaul. Injuries and inconsistency have blunted their edge. 

"Under the ownership, I'm sure this club is going to arrive in the Premier League," said an optimistic Davies before the season. "This ambition is there to inspire us, but because of what happened last time, they know how unforgiving it can be. The ambition is great, but there's a clear understanding of how hard it is."

Brady also gave his vote of confidence in the manager and added, "I think this club has a great manager. The expectations and standards have been set at a different level, and we’re going into this Championship season with great excitement. We want to restore it (Birmingham) to the glory that it’s been in the past. To move up and to be promoted to the Premier League is a very daunting task, but it can be achieved.”

The presence of Brady has added an almost surreal Hollywood gloss to Birmingham’s resurgence. The seven-time Super Bowl champion, now a minority owner, has injected not just funds but belief into the club’s DNA. For Ducksch, that alone was enough. They face Hull City next on Saturday, desperate for a victory to reignite their campaign.