Blues Trust
Birmingham City Supporters Trust - An Independent Voice
Blues Trust
Birmingham City Supporters Trust - An Independent Voice
Reality Already Emerging
With the chase on for Amari Miller and the emerging news that Lee Bowyer has a new re-jigged budget for the 2021/22 season, supporters will no doubt be thinking about survival again. Nothing negative about this but pure reality. How else can we describe it? Finances dictate and we get it totally. What concerns me is the misconception that this could be our year for a real go at a top six spot.
Two weeks ago myself, along with a fair few other supporters, felt that Lee would recruit with decent funds and just add quality to the ranks. What has transpired since is the modest acquisitions of lower league players and the imminent departure of yet another young talent in Amari Miller. All very depressing, as no doubt this player will progress along the lines of Bellingham, Adams, Redmond etc.
When on earth are we going to build around what good stock we have? Yes, we know the score regarding money and we know the reasons why, but expecting the new season to be one of great improvement is now fanciful. What would be totally acceptable and respected would be a frank disclosure by the club that the season ahead would again be a challenge.
Reading between the lines with Bowyer’s new budget etc and the Miller suitors, it doesn’t feel that good. Whilst the overall feeling with our new Manager at the helm is one of controlled trust, we should nevertheless be aware that the squads ambitions will be no higher than mid table. Until investment is properly injected and the Manager is given what was hoped for, then the Amari Miller situation will be followed by more of the same….other clubs prepared and keen to scoop up anything decent that emerges at Birmingham City.
Mitchell Bray
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26 Comments
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This will be Bowyer’s last season if BSHL doesn’t get its act together. It will need to give him some funds in January or next summer at the latest, or it will be bye-bye Bowyer.
Mitchell Bray what planet are you on?, LB stated at the end of last season that there wouldn’t be wholesale changes. We already had a decent squad of players that under Karanka lacked any direction, we’ve brought in 3 players so far who all have Championship experience and all 3 with something to prove. Doom mongers like you we could well do without, I and several thousand other bluenoses are looking forward to a decent season and a season where we aren’t constantly looking over our shoulders, I don’t think we’ll make the playoffs but I still think we’ll finish top half of the table.
Well said Chris, i agreed with your every word.. KRO..
I think the reality is that any Championship club that develops a quality player is bound to lose them to a predatory Premiership club. It’s an unfortunate fact of life for all clubs in the EFL and some clubs in the top flight also. It is just a case of the players contractual position and the fee that the selling club can achieve. There is no doubt however that the Blues squad massively underachieved last season until the arrival of Lee Bowyer and for Blues to aim for a top ten finish next season seems to be a reasonable target.
Sorry but anyone thinking we would invest significantly, after 18 months of zero income through the pandemic other than selling Jude, was always being overly optimistic. Reality is that a lower mid table season will be a great improvement and a credit to LB.
Kro
We knew we had not got millions to spend I’m happy so far with our signings have faith in the gaffer kro
Blues sell talented players full stop. Yes it’s a fact that Championship clubs are used by the bigger boys. What is desperately sad about the AMARI MILLER case is that another good’un has slipped through the net. Leeds of all clubs who were in lower leagues for years have shown us a clean pair of heels. I get where Mitchell is coming from and share his frustration.
For me the key things are stability and a realistic approach. The fact is our house was very nearly falling down, so we need to rebuild our foundations. The signings are very encouraging, from a proven performer to guys who feel they have something to prove. There are not many better stages when the crowd are at it to make those dreams a reality. We are lucky we have a Manager who is not prepared to sell the club down the river at all costs. With a constructive pre season we have lots to look forward to. As a club we are definitely on the up. KRO
I think you are overly negative. I think the players we’ve brought in are an improvement on what we had. Aneke and Graham scored 28 goals last season and also provided a fair few assists. Woods was a quality player last season at Millwall with everything going through him. Miller should have been wrapped up months ago. Thank Dong for that. He was refusing to sign a new contract so we were hamstrung. I think Graham will improve the service into the box and I’m looking forward to the improvement in goals. Looking forward to seeing attacking passionate football. KRO.
Stan …you are bang on. We will get back to the top flight one day but in the meantime we have got to get the foundations of the club on a sound footing with people who care for the club running it day to day. Getting into even more debt could lead to there being no club to go and watch !
Everyone knows how tough it is in the Championship, you could spend £50m and have nothing to show for it at the end of the season.
The departure of Ren and backroom changes I see as a positive direction change and the realisation that things weren’t done correctly. Whatever you think of Chinese ownership you have to give credit where credit is due, they have basically admitted with all the changes inc LB that they got it wrong in the past.
If Lee can build a mid table team with very little money and with the fans back at St Andrew’s roaring the team on, who knows what following season can offer?
I for one would prefer getting the foundations right rather than spending countless millions on overpriced “has beens” trying to extend their own careers at our expense.
Personally I think LB has made some solid acquisitions but further more with the recent restructure upstairs we can finally look to turn the tide. Starting 24 hrs before reading LB managed our 10 game average to that of a play off contender so with a pre season under his belt we have the ability to achieve what we where capable of doing last year. I would question if you are a blues at all or are you villa in disguise
Tom.Point of my article was to highlight yet again the selling of a young talent. LB is a good manager, the squad is fair but the quality to achieve us getting into a top six spot is yet again jettisoned by selling off the actual tools that will get us there.
We’re selling Miller – are you suggesting he was the player to fire us to the top 6 but without him, we’re looking at fighting for survival?
From what I’ve seen, that’s the only player we have lost….
They had no choice the player did not want to stay he did not have a professional contract he was offered 6 months ago. Had we not agreed to let him go he would’ve gone completely for nothing. You need to grow up pal. And get with the real world.
Mr negative Michael Bray A man writing articles with no substance and zero knowledge.
As Barnsley proved last year, a competent squad and a good manager playing to their strengths can have a successful season. I’m not expecting miracles but mid table would be pretty good. I hope Bowyer remembers his day of glory at Wembley and plays strong teams in the cups as this would at least give us a hope of some fun days during the season.
The reason we lost Miller is because Ren failed to get him on a professional contract as soon as he was 17. My only complaint is, if reports are correct, we are only receiving £200k initial payment. Should be a least half a million
As a fan it is my right to support, believe and hope for success. As a trust I would hope that the ‘Spin’ would promote positivity! Following your recent recruitment drive it would seem that you have recruited poorly and enabled negativity to overcome supporters belief! Your reality is not the perception of a fan, more the desire as a group to influence. Even with a reduced budget I see movement to a positive structure, I see strong Management bit being influenced by players or agents. I do not believe in your views, or your trust, in Lee Bowyer I believe, as I should as a true supporter of Birmingham City FC
Eddie. As regards my articles they are my personal opinions. I am not a recruitment of the Blues Trust. I am purely a member and not connected to a Board or a committee. You and anyone else could submit articles should you so wish. Blues Trust in my opinion offer a platform for free speech and individual views. Precious commodities without restraints.What I write is not in any way the views of the Trust.
I have submitted articles, two got posted others, to my disgust got shelved, Mitchell no-one gets more word space than you and until this article I enjoyed what you have had to say, I’ve agreed on most of it and commented on some of it but this is the worst article you have had published so far. I admit there was a time I thought you was possibly a board member because you always get published whilst some of us seem to be ignored.
I agree that we’re all cheesed off that there isn’t any money to spend but it’s a new season so let’s at least have more optimism than this time last year when we had to endure the prospect of one of the world’s most negative managers was put in charge. Personally after the past couple of years a top half/mid table position would almost feel like we’re pushing for the play offs so let’s begin there and push forward together. Give the boys, now they have better direction, a chance before we get all melancholy again.
You are inundated with word space and you’re well respected on this site so use it to gel your readers not incite them. For once Mitchell you got it wrong!
Mitchell, I can only assume that you have become a little overwhelmed having seen Amari Miller mentioned in the same sentence as Jude Bellingham !
Never was Miller going to play 20+ games this season and having delayed offering him a professional contract, selling him was the only option.
For the first time in ever, Blues have moved quickly to secure 3 new players that all were supposedly wanted by Championship rivals and will now have time to bed into LB’s intended style of play. If this leads to an above middle table finish, then every Blues fan should be ecstatic.
Given your article, I suggest you need a massive reality check !!
What’s needed now is stability and a good work ethic which I believe is being done the backroom staff has been completely overhauled in Bowyers favour.
Craig Gardner will listen to what he wants and go out and get it. The signings we’ve made all three of them are very good and they didn’t cost us anything. So do not dismiss them as being mediocre they are actually very good signings and we beat off a lot of other clubs to those players.
No club in the championship and also some in the Premier League can spend an awful lots of money this season.
We are in the middle of a pandemic no gate receipts very very little income so yes spending wisely is the way to do it.
The time to worry will be the club start throwing millions of pounds around bringing in a load of big time Charlie’s
It’s being done in the right way it’s been done sensibly.
And no amount of doom mongering he’s going to change my opinion. KRO
Do you suggest an interview process for membership??? With only happy smiley people allowed? Me ? I believe if a player wants to go then he should do one .. If he has had his head turned or not .We have had enough over the years of players going through the motions .wear the badge with pride or shut the door after you go through it.we are not all going to agree on who LB is signing being good or not but he is manager so his job and reputation is his to lose ,be glad he isn’t Karanka or any of the other flops we seemed to like giving employment to . Up the LB the crafty cockney!! ( my opinion only not the trusts or anybody connected with it)
This writer I know. When LB was appointed he supported us with match by match prayer mats.Nothing negative was there. We all gelled and pulled together.Now we are in a different place with varying views but when needs must-We are of same mind.
Your article is a bit negative I think.Most clubs in the championship will have a reduced budget this season.We haven’t even kicked a ball yet so let’s see what Bowyer can do.
Great debate all this and all comments really worth reading. Thanks to everyone. Keeping the Blues Trust a lively pitch and not a slumber sofa is what it’s all about. Looking forward to sharing the new season with the occasional controversial debate!