Birmingham City players are making a habit just lately of telling the official website that there is no reason the club can’t better the 10th position of last year.
Former player Trevor Francis was the first real figure from the club to speak out to temper expectations. He told bcfc.com whilst in Marbella that Rowett was on a very small budget and should be judged accordingly.
But since then several players have told the clubs media department they see the group as talented and want to see the club aim higher this season.
Which leads me to believe that Rowett is actively encouraging this among his players. Countless times last season Rowett told the players to aim higher and challenge themselves, his ethos is very much about pushing the players to believe in themselves and to achieve the unlikely.
Andrew Shinnie has been talking to bcfc.com and said ‘Everyone looks really fit to be fair. We have put in the work, we are a fit team and hopefully we can push on from last year.’
This shows that the team are looking up, whether on instruction or not. The recent new deal for Demarai Gray, and the influx of experience between the sticks in Tomasz Kuszczak is just the beginning in adding the quality to the group that Rowett is looking for.
On a personal note, Shinnie’s main focus of the interview was that he knows he needs to add goals to his game. A criticism that has been rife from the fans since his resurgence in form last year. No one faults his effort or ability but it is hard to miss the lack of firepower from him.
Shinnie says it is down to a lack of shots, traditionally he is a very team oriented player and that has lead him to look for Blues shirts rather than the white net.
With the possible arriving of Fabbrini, on loan from Watford. Shinnie may well have hot competition to play behind Donaldson, and then he will have no choice but to out score Fabbrini or risk sitting on the bench.
Source – bcfc.com
