Skip to playerSkip to main content
  • 7 weeks ago
Birmingham City are gearing up for life back in the Championship — and with the momentum of a title-winning League One campaign, there’s growing optimism they can make an impact at the higher level.
To get more insight into Birmingham’s prospects, we spoke to Charlie Haffenden of BirminghamWorld, who says the mood around St Andrew’s is one of measured ambition.

Category

🥇
Sports
Transcript
00:00Birmingham City are gearing up for life back in the Championship
00:06and with the momentum of a title-winning League One campaign,
00:12there's growing optimism they can make an impact at the higher level.
00:16Chris Davis, renowned for his calm authority and attacking philosophy,
00:20has revitalised the squad and built a side with both resilience and flair.
00:26His ability to blend experienced head with emerging talents has been central to the club's rise.
00:31The Championship's relentless schedule will be a different test,
00:35but Blues are determined to carry the belief and intensity that drove their promotion into the new campaign.
00:42To get more of an insight into Birmingham's prospects,
00:45we spoke to Charlie Haffenden of Birmingham World,
00:49who says the mood around St Andrews is one of measured ambition,
00:52a recognition of the challenges ahead,
00:55but also a quiet confidence that Blues can more than hold their own.
01:01So, Charlie, as the summer sort of wilts to a bit of an end
01:05and the football starts getting underway again,
01:09Birmingham City, we've mentioned, you know, going into the summer,
01:12we weren't really sure how they'd operate,
01:14how they could afford to generally go and spend big again.
01:18And they've ended up spending incredibly well with some sort of proven Premier League talent in there,
01:23the likes of Tommy Doyle from Wolves, an incredible signing.
01:27You know, we cover Wolves a lot as well and we saw him, you know,
01:31I think that's a perfect snatch for Birmingham City for a club to go and get him
01:34and how good he was in the Championship with Sheffield United as well.
01:37I mean, they've really, really strutted their stuff, this window.
01:43It's been a massive intent again and it's also sort of setting up for this,
01:48you know, another season under this regime, under this new era.
01:53And, you know, Blues fans are certainly excited now.
01:57Oh, absolutely.
01:58I mean, I wasn't expecting them to spend masses of money this summer,
02:02but we knew they'd spend something because Blues have been projected
02:05to be amongst the top five for revenue this season in the Championship,
02:08which is incredible, really, isn't it, when you consider they're in League One last season.
02:11But Tom Wagner, the main owner, and then Tom Brady as well,
02:14getting involved in the transfer business, in the revenue side of things.
02:17It's all going so well.
02:19Tommy Doyle, as you mentioned, what a signing that is.
02:23He can play, obviously, a little bit further back in central midfield
02:25or he can play as an attacking midfielder as well.
02:28His technical ability in the Championship, that's a joke.
02:31I mean, I know he didn't play much for Wolves, but I think that's because Vito Pereira
02:34prefers some of those more kind of defensive-minded central midfielders.
02:38And then you had Cunha in that 10-year-old last season.
02:42Doyle for Blues should absolutely shine.
02:43And as should the likes of Kanya Fujimoto, Kyogo Furuhashi,
02:48two Japanese players brought in this summer.
02:50Kyogo, if you're any Celtic fans watching along,
02:53will know exactly who he is or anyone who's been keeping any eye
02:55on the Scottish Premiership.
02:57He scored so many goals for Celtic before landing a move to Rennes in France.
03:01Didn't quite work out and Blues have spent about £10 million to bring him in.
03:06He can play out front.
03:07He can play on either wing.
03:08He can play as a number 10.
03:09You've got Jay Stansfield as well, of course,
03:11who they broke the transfer record for last summer.
03:15You've got Kanya Fujimoto, who I mentioned as well,
03:18who played very well in the Portuguese top flight.
03:21And then in defence as well, they've also bolstered Phil Newman,
03:24who was at Hanover, really quick and tall centre-back,
03:27expected to start alongside Christophe Clara.
03:30Bright Osoe Samuel, who was playing for Fenerbahce under Jose Mourinho last season,
03:35he's coming in at right back to offer competition for Ethan Laird.
03:38There's just so many exciting new additions.
03:40Blues fans can't quite believe what they're seeing at the moment.
03:42And the fact they're already being discussed for promotion to the Premier League
03:46is incredible.
03:46I can see why.
03:47Yeah, I mean, it's great having all these players surrounding the job,
03:52but the pressure will be mounting on Chris Davies in the managerial dugout.
03:56I mean, he showed a lot of character last season to come into this role,
04:00you know, with all the turbulence that had gone before him,
04:03the likes of Wayne Rooney's spell,
04:05and then that sort of downfall and obviously the relegation.
04:08I mean, he's a massive feather in Blues' cap to have a young manager,
04:14an ambitious manager, who also believes in the project.
04:16It seems like the owners are really backing him.
04:19How confident are you that he's going to really impress
04:21in the Championship this season?
04:23Well, he's definitely the right man for the job, no doubt about it.
04:26Coming into League One, I know everyone expected Birmingham to walk it,
04:30and they should do really with the signings they made,
04:32but you've still got to make all these new players gel.
04:35But just because of the step-up in levels and performance
04:37and fitness as well, it's going to be a tough challenge.
04:40But I think Blues have got what it takes to get up there
04:42into those promotion spots.
Be the first to comment
Add your comment

Recommended