The Rowett Way

Birmingham are getting a lot right at the moment and with that comes lots of positivity from the press and the world of football. The secret to it all? Well lets just have a run through of how I see it.

Work Rate. In the opening exchange of the season it is Blues that are out working their opponents every time they step on the pitch, a culture that has been installed into the club as a non-negotiable requirement to be at the club. This is why I believe some players haven’t had a look in since Rowett took over.

Gary Rowett has edged in a culture of working hard and taking nothing for granted. The way to win football matches is to be in those football matches. It is becoming apparent that you can get much more out of players when they’re properly prepared, physically and mentally.

Firstly he installed a realistic system at the club. He came in and assessed what was needed to ensure the squad could be within touching distance at the final whistle. Sitting off teams and working from there, instead of insisting on a style of play.

Secondly it was about preparing the players correctly physically and mentally. Any player within the squad will tell you that they are now eating and preparing far better than before. It was also made clear by Paul Robinson last season that the motivation techniques of Rowett are completely different from that of Clark, players are not berated for mistakes, completely the opposite.

The next tick in the box has been recruitment. Letting some of the fringe players go and minimising the squad has allowed the team to add quality and really compete with some of the better teams in the league. The manager has also been very careful in the kind of players he has brought in, you only have to hear the stories of how hurt Maghoma was to miss that chance against Villa to know he’s an honest and hardworking player.

And finally, Rowett is always looking to improve his way of doing things. The tactics are tailored to each game, even if the changes are ever so subtle.

The only question is, how good can it get? Where will Blues settle this season?

Rowett told bcfc.com yesterday ‘Hard work is the bedrock of anything we do.’