Birmingham City are back in Championship action this season, and as the campaign is now underway with Chris Davies, there is a growing sense of optimism mixed with realism about the challenge ahead.
Davies, who guided the club to promotion from League One last term, now faces the step up to England’s second tier.
00:00Now Birmingham City are back in championship action this season and the campaign is now underway with Chris Davis as there's a growing sense of optimism mixed with realism about the challenges ahead.
00:16Davis who guided the club to promotion from League One last term now faces the step up to England's second tier.
00:24Recruitment over the summer has been once again heavy with the club balancing ambition against financial constraints meaning squad depth and quality will be tested across a longer and tougher campaign.
00:38Supporters are buoyed by Davis's energy and his clear tactical vision as well as the momentum carried over from last season.
00:46To get more insight into Birmingham's prospects we spoke to Charlie Haffenden of Birmingham World.
00:53He highlighted that Davis has instilled a sense of togetherness and belief within the squad which has been crucial in the club's rise.
01:01The team's confidence combined with a renewed attacking approach provides a solid foundation but the challenges of maintaining consistency over a full championship season remains.
01:14Yeah I mean it's great having all these players surrounding the job but the pressure will be mounting on Chris Davis in the managerial dugout.
01:24I mean he showed a lot of character last season to come into this role you know with all the turbulence that had gone before him.
01:31The likes of Wayne Rooney's spell and then that sort of downfall and obviously the relegation.
01:36I mean he's a massive feather in Blues' cap to have a young manager, an ambitious manager who also believes in the project.
01:44It seems like the owners are really backing him.
01:46How confident are you that he's going to really impress in the championship this season?
01:52Well he's definitely the right man for the job no doubt about it.
01:55Coming into League One I know everyone expected Birmingham to walk it and they should do really with the signings they made.
02:01But you've still got to make all these new players gel.
02:03He completely changed the culture at the football club before there's so much laziness going on.
02:08And if anyone's seen the documentary you'll see that Tom Brady ripped into that.
02:12The likes of Wayne Rooney as a manager his work rate not enough.
02:15So many of the players didn't have the right mentality.
02:18The first thing Davies wanted us to do apart from all the important transfer business was the change of that mentality to make his team the fittest in League One.
02:25And you can see they reap the rewards.
02:27I think they'll be targeting the same kind of form this season both on and off the pitch.
02:32Davies says that every single training session is so so important.
02:36And players that don't treat it as that will be out the door very quickly.
02:39So I think we'll see a few more players leave this summer.
02:42Not necessarily for the lack of effort but just because of the step up in levels and performance and fitness as well.
02:48It's going to be a tough challenge but I think Blues have got what it takes to get up there into those promotion spots.
02:53Yeah just on a bit of a pre-season prediction where they're going to go in terms of the table.
03:01How it's going to look.
03:01They've obviously got them.
03:03They're one of the sides who have come up and are investing.
03:06You've got that pool of uncertainty now in the Championship.
03:08Those clubs that are lingering maybe the likes of West Brom, Middlesbrough, Norwich, Bristol City.
03:12You don't know what they're going to do and produce.
03:15And then you've also got obviously the dogs who've come down from the Premier League as well.
03:18And then the likes of Sheffield United who missed out and are going to be challenging once again.
03:22It's going to be an incredible season, an incredibly competitive division.
03:27Do you feel Blues have what it takes to get those massive winning runs?
03:31Those runs where you have to play Saturday, Tuesday and you have to pick up points every week.
03:36You know this momentum that can carry on from that League One record-breaking campaign.
03:41You know, where do you sort of see them finishing up this season?
03:45Well, I certainly think Birmingham are very well-equipped to deal with that kind of schedule.
03:49I mean, the squad depth they've got is incredible in most positions as well.
03:53I can't really think of too many places in that team where you'd be worried.
03:56Even if there are injuries, there are so many players you can step up.
03:59Lots of versatile players as well.
04:01Someone like a Taylor Garden Hickman might not start too many games, but play right back.
04:05You can play midfield.
04:06You can play on the wing if you need them to.
04:08So those kind of players can really step up for Chris Davies' team.
04:11And I mean, I think the pressure is going to be there, but they're a team that's got a very good fan base, home and away.
04:16If you can put together good runs at home, as they did last season, completely unbeaten at St. Andrews in the League.
04:22If they could do similar this year, I mean, they're going to be right up there.
04:25It is all about those patches of form, as you mentioned.
04:27Can they do that consistently?
04:29I suppose we'll wait and see.
04:30But Blues heading into the new season in a very good position indeed.
04:34There's just so many exciting new additions.
04:35Blues fans can't quite believe what they're seeing at the moment.
04:38And the fact that they're already being discussed for promotion to the Premier League is incredible.
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