I Don’t Care Too Much for Money…

The jolly boys trip to Marbella has come to an end and, after a goalless draw with Hamilton in a private friendly, Blues’ season preparations can begin in earnest on Tuesday night at Solihull Moors.

The team is taking shape somewhat but Gary Rowett will want to press ahead with his recruitment drive in the coming fortnight.

Reports have linked Blues with moves for a whole host of players – most recently, Nelson Oliveira – as Rowett looks to fill in the blanks.

But if Blues are shopping at Aldi, Newcastle, Villa and other Championship rivals have loyalty cards for Waitrose. With all 24 teams aiming to finish in the top six, the Championship will be tougher than ever.

Trevor Francis told the Birmingham Mail this week that finishing tenth, for the third season in a row, would represent a successful season. But before writing off his comments, take a look at the list of clubs vying for the top flight.

Newcastle have invested heavily as they look for a quick return to the Premier League. Their recent signing, Matt Ritchie, cost four times more than the entire Birmingham City squad combined. And the Geordie’s aren’t alone in the market either. Villa appear to be forking out the best part of five-million quid for a Reading midfielder whose name I had to Google and other clubs are starting to strut their stuff in the cash playground.

Of course, money doesn’t always win, as fans of Leicester City will undoubtedly point out. It does however, give you a huge advantage and creates a gaping gap for clubs like Blues to try and bridge.

Not being awash with cash, Rowett’s signings must be astute and well measured. Signing Robert Tesche on a free was an absolute no brainer and I struggle to think of a versatile defender of similar ilk to Ryan Shotton who represents better value for money – £300k is a drop in the ocean in today’s football economy.

As the days pass by, names will be chucked into articles as the media suits circle round looking for transfer gossip. But the bigger picture draws me to the fact Blues no longer have a stand out superstar having his head turned by bigger prey – example, Demarai Gray. Although that sounds depressingly negative, you could suggest that squad continuity is the positive outlook in Rowett’s efforts to muster up a tight-knit dressing room.

Whether Blues manage to crash the party and claim a play-off spot – or whether we fight a long dogged relegation battle – the only demand we the fans make is that we have a team that will sweat, bleed and die for the cause. It’s called effort, something we have in abundance. Anything else is a bonus.