The signing of Craig Gardner represents a club trying to move on to the next level. It also represents a club trying to put the recent past, and previous ownership regime, behind them.
For too long, Blues fans have been accustomed to having to ‘make do’. We’ve signed a free transfer from Oldham. Yipee. We’ve signed a striker from Mansfield. Whoopy do. We’ve signed a player on loan from Olton Ravens. Wahey.
That was the rot that had set in, especially when another of our young players was sold on the cheap. And it becomes a habit. Expectation levels drop to match the level of players the club is attracting. Ive lost count of the amount of times I’ve greeted a loss at St. Andrews with ‘it’s where we are’.
And I’m not for one second having a pop at the players we did sign for peanuts. The club were at an extremely low ebb and when needs must… Some of them have given a decent service to the club. Stephen Gleeson, Jonathan Grounds, Michael Morrison, David Cotterill, Jacques Maghoma to name six. All of the aforementioned didn’t cost a penny in transfer fees and they’ve been pretty good acquisitions.
Yet to move Blues on to a higher platform, they must operate at a higher level in the transfer market. Gardner is just the start. Rene Krhin may or may not follow. If he doesn’t, someone else will.
It’s a slow process. A process that began with a new manager, Gianfranco Zola, at the fore. A few bad results don’t change the outlook or the vision. Teething problems would always occur when trying to change a club in such a way.
Read Gardner’s interview on bcfc.com. His words may be construed as things that he is told to say but why would he come back to the club if he didn’t believe in what they were doing? Answer – he wouldn’t.
So it’s time for the fans, players, manager, coaching staff and tea lady to embrace what is happening. It may work, it may not. At least the club is showing signs of ambition and not settling for what we were becoming – mediocre Championship club.
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