Birmingham City finally return to action this Saturday with the final round of Championship matches. Nine games, with a fair number of points up for grabs, and five of those matches will be at home.
Playing without crowds, especially at home, will no doubt be weird and it will be interesting to see just how Blues cope without the St.Andrews faithful. All clubs are in the same boat obviously and therefore it could be argued that ‘home’ is not much of an advantage.
West Bromwich Albion away next up and perhaps this is the ideal time to play them in an empty stadium, with Blues desperately needing a local derby win. Over the recent seasons, we have failed to get one local derby win. What will be closely watched however will be the attitude of the players in these rem nine games especially since last week’s news of Pep Clotet leaving at the end of term.
My opinion is that it will affect the overall scenario – it has to. Being professional and all that is very well and good, and people expect that, but in reality the squad will, in my opinion, be in a slightly different mindset.
Nine games, twenty seven points and a slim, but nevertheless a chance, for an upwards surge in the chase for sixth spot, should the team get off to a flier, have been the priority rather than last week’s ill-timed news regarding Clotet.
However, Clotet and co need to get the squad prepared for what will be an exciting finale in this mini-league of nine games.
Most Bluenoses will, like myself, be keeping alert for both what’s going on, on the field and off, with the ‘guess who’s coming next’ debate in terms of new manager/Coach etc. Not good but there it is.
What we do know is that football is back, matches thick and fast, heartaches and joys along the way and the eternal hope that Blues can surprise a few by being the mini-leagues surprise package. Some club will be as it always has been with nine games left, and a generous amount of points available.
My hope is that Pep Clotet and Gardner can instil a real belief into the players that getting off to a flier is possible, and with it comes a real unexpected bonus of almost touching that sixth spot.
Hogan, Bela and Juke are the key elements for me.
There is also a “slim” chance of relegation if the players switch off and that is a real danger. Pep has made his decision so will just be going through the motions. Jude really has nothing to prove and will want to avoid injury and the fans wont be there to urge the boys on. Incredibly bad timing all round. I hope I am wrong but Blues are adept at getting it all wrong.
I think we should be more concerned about actually staying up, you know what I mean. We need to take stock if we do stay up and get a manger in that has the experience to take us to the next level, plus the owners need to cough up some cash to support him as well. No penny pinching bucko’s. Jokanovic,Houghton or Warnock. No Gardner,Robinson,clough,Bowyer PLEASE!
I maybe the exception here but I think it would be good for us long term to get relegated and flush out the bad eggs within the club, yes you the Owners! Trouble is that would open the door for Clough, it would be in his comfort zone ….Division 1&2. Maybe on 2nd thoughts it would be better to stay up…by the skin of our teeth….Progress? What progress over the past 9 years?
Ok boys,what has it come to? Relegation,no thank you. I know we have a very,very mediocre squad,below par manager and poor ownership but we just have to put up with what we’ve got until a new broom eventually arrives, albeit it could be a few years yet before we can completely flush out the dead wood. I think we can stay up but I ain’t got confidence with the squad in general but we can get through this
Well there you go Boys, if ever you wanted proof that this mob who run our club have no intentions of building the club into a sustainable PL Club here it is with the quote ‘experience and maybe the odd promotion’! I think we should all give serious thought as to whether its really worth following a club with no ambition other than perhaps getting the occasional promotion…from Division1 or 2!