Baffled!

15 Dec 2016 | 9 comments

Gary Rowett (courtesy of bcfc.com)

The announcement yesterday by the club and Trillion Trophy Asia Ltd (TTA) of Gary Rowett’s departure, together with all his backroom management staff, came as a great shock to everyone and with much sadness.  The decision to sack Gary Rowett as manager of Birmingham City FC has shocked the football world.  Sacking Gary and all his assistants is going to cause great upheaval and we don’t understand how this action is compatible with TTA’s statement, as recently as 17th October, saying

“We have not come in to make outlandish promises or to implement decisions that could cause upheaval to the detriment of the Club or team.”  (Read more at See New Blues owners TTA enthusiastic about Club’s future)

When asked to explain their plans for the future, TTA ask fans to trust their judgement.  It is difficult for fans to do this when no explanation is provided for decisions made, especially when most fans have significant questions about those decisions. One way of gaining the fans trust would be for TTA to give a clear explanation of why GR was sacked, and how his sacking will improve BCFC’s chances of progression in the future.  It is time for TTA to give the fans some answers.

Gianfranco Zola

Gianfranco Zola (Courtesy of bcfc.com)

Although we find the circumstances of his appointment difficult to understand, we would like to welcome Gianfranco Zola to St Andrew’s, and, as dedicated Blues fans, wish him every success in his appointment as manager.

9 Comments

  1. Alan

    It is baffling, I can only guess that based on a quality of football commensurate with players abilities and crowd levels, the new owners felt maybe new blood was needed.
    Although safe, I could never see promotion being realistic and the football was mostly stale.

    • Will

      Rowetts contribution to Blues at a time when League One was looming large us can never be nor should be dismissed and I genuinely thank him and offer my best wishes for the future. Nevertheless, even though Gary had little funds available he did spend money on players who upon arrival were by and large not seen by him as natural starters. Having pursued Adams and Stewart he subsequently hasn’t had enough faith in them, even suggesting that the latter was facing a big step up from Scottish football. Brock-Madsen was an even stranger purchase who was then farmed out to Holland. So why buy them? Our weaknesses on the field have been evident for a while and even the most basic requirements: accurate passing, finding space for one another; marking opponents in our box, have been woeful at times. Thank Gary certainly but I suspect he had taken us as far as he could. Whether Zola is the answer only time will tell.

  2. Colin Cross

    The decision has bought great shame and disrepute on the Club in my opinion. Rowett has performed a minor miracle on a shoestring. He may have not been great in the transfer market but when you are given relative pennies, you cannot shop in the better stores. He has stabilised the club and got the maximum out of average players. As a 58 year old who has supported the Club through thick and thin since the mid 60’s; home and away, I can only wish GR all the best and say this to TTA, if you cant conduct yourselves with honesty and integrity then please get out. I will continue to go to every Away game but will not set foot in St Andrews again whilst these uncouth mostly under 30’s foreign upstarts are in control of our football Club. For the first time in my life I woke up today ashamed to be a Birmingham City fan

  3. Christian

    I’m a season ticket holder and I’ll be there against Brighton to support Rowett but I won’t be going again after that. Hopefully the fans will show solidarity for Rowett on Saturday in front of the cameras and demonstrate to the owners what a massive mistake they have made. Disgraceful.

  4. nicko

    Colin I understand how you feel. I feel let down too. what I did here and how true this is that Gary asked to be considered for the Fulham job and bcfc were not happy about that. I wish Gary and all the backroom team all the best for the future and thank them for giving the fans the team back from the dead.
    KRO

  5. Ian Tracey

    blind loyalty to the club we love is admirable but it is also why they will do whatever they want. If we keep going regardless of their decisions why would they listen to us? I for one have had enough and will show some of the same dignity Rowett always did by refusing to attend for as long as the owners refuse to listen/ explain/comment

  6. John

    It is possible that Gary Rowett, had taken Blues as far as he could, with what he had at his disposal. In January, I am sure he would have added quality to the squad and who knows, what he would have achieved then. Sacking him and replacing him with Zola, is like getting rid of your Rolls Royce and buying a fiat ! !
    Zola was a great player, but as a manager, he has been a failure. Surely as business men, TTA must know that if the manager of one section of the business is not doing well, you replace him, with someone who is better at the job. I wish Zola all the very best, but admit that I am very concerned about his ability. The Brighton game on Saturday, might turn out to be very stressful for the new manager and the board.

  7. Binghamblue

    I think there is one very important question that needs to be asked; on the basis that the Board, in its entirety, know nothing about British football, and most likely little about football full stop, who made the decision? One has to assume they sought, or more likely bought, independent advice. Where from and at what cost? Who’s head is on the line if it goes belly up? I just have a horrible feeling someone has made money out of stabbing Rowett in the back.

  8. UrbaneGuerilla

    Rowett was given a budget which meant he could only shop at B&M and got sacked because he didn’t buy caviar and stage a banquet. I am absolutely disgusted at our owners actions and, regardless of your views on the style of football, this was callous and undeserved.
    Nothing against Zola, but if he’s the man to bring success I’ll be amazed.
    In any event he has zero margin for error now because of the clumsy and typically brutal way in which our Chinese owners disregarded the fans’ feelings and sacrificed an inherently decent man – and one of us.

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