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Blues are back…already!

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It doesn`t seem long since we wrapped up the season in South Wales, but Gary Rowett`s side are back in action this evening against Solihull Moors as preparation for the 2016/17 campaign continues.

The European Championships have, in rather unspectacular fashion, been and gone, and Blues have returned from a continental trip of their own for the first of eight first-team friendly matches.

The players were put through their paces during a training camp at the Marbella Football Centre last week which, according to Rowett, was even more intense than the trip to Spain last year.

Trialist Dwight Tiendalli was part of the squad which travelled to Marbella, and the former Swansea City full-back will also feature tonight. The boss is keen to sign a challenger to Jonathan Grounds, and ex-Villa man Kieran Richardson has also been linked.

In my latest blog for the Birmingham Mail yesterday, I considered the five things that Blues need to do in order to have a shot at the play-offs. One of those was to find the most effective way of playing Robert Tesche, who returned to the club earlier this summer following his release from Nottingham Forest.

Tesche could be vital in Blues realising their ambitions this season, as we`ve seen what impact he can have during his loan spell in 2015. Finding the right partner for him – Stephen Gleeson or Maikel Kieftenbeld – if Rowett opts to play two central midfielders behind Diego Fabbrini is a task that the manager will hope to succeed in during the upcoming friendlies.

Tonight`s match, against National League North champions Solihull, will be very much a conditioning test for Blues.

Rowett said: ‘It’s always nice to get going with the games again and we know Solihull will be a good test.”

‘We will do what we did in Spain: we will look to give every player 45 minutes and do exactly the same on Saturday and then crack on with it.”

Blues have until August 6th to prepare for another gruelling Championship season, which begins with the visit of Cardiff City.

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