Despite a last-day victory over Norwich City, Birmingham City’s disastrous season ended with the team being relegated to League One.
The season opened with a takeover by American billionaire Tom Wagner, who brought with him a new board of directors, including seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady.
At the time of the takeover, John Eustace was the Blues’ manager, having led the team to Championship safety the previous season. Birmingham lost their second-tier status due to a decision made despite a promising start to the season in the play-offs.
The club’s new owners fired Eustace and appointed Wayne Rooney, a Manchester United and England legend, as manager. Rooney’s managing record was not particularly impressive prior to his arrival in the second city, despite having to navigate a difficult period in Derby County’s history.
Rooney led the club from sixth to 20th place, a significant drop from their previous position. In 15 matches, the team only won twice and scored 10 points. Following Rooney’s departure, the board appointed Tony Mowbray, an experienced manager who had led Sunderland to the play-offs the previous season.
Mowbray’s temporary absence due to illness allowed Gary Rowett, who previously coached the club from 2014 to 2016, to return to St Andrew’s.Despite both managers accumulating 11 points from eight league games, the club fell short and will now play in the third division.
So, may the Blues struggle in League One, possibly leading to relegation? To put it simply: yeah!
Dropping into League One with a Championship-caliber squad is an expensive and potentially unmanageable situation. First, the Blues will be unable to retain talented midfielder Jordan James. The Welsh international has attracted interest from Italian club Atlanta and will likely have numerous options this summer.
Along with James, Birmingham has numerous high-value players, including Juninho Bacuna, Ethan Laird, and Dion Sanderson, who may also want to leave the club. Five players, including Jay Stansfield, are set to leave St Andrew’s for their respective clubs.
The roster appears to be depleted and will need to be rebuilt before considering a promotion bid next season. The man in the dugout has a busy summer ahead.
That begs another question: who will lead the club come August? Tony Mowbray is away from the club, rightfully focusing his health, yet the club has been compelled to issue a statement regarding temporary manager Rowett.
Just two days before the season’s final match, the club denied rumors that Rowett’s post would be made permanent. According to the statement, the original agreement remains in effect, with the interim manager overseeing the next eight games before stepping down.
Going into a hard summer with uncertainty surrounding the club’s top post is not a good situation. City fans have witnessed firsthand the devastation that a mistake in manager hiring and firing can cause during the season. Of course, Mowbray’s health must come first, and we all at The Real EFL wish him well.
Birmingham City is a team to watch next season and will be a ‘Cup Final’ for many of the teams they meet. Recruitment will be critical in replacing players who are expected to leave. Players must be ready to deal with the expectations that will follow the team wherever they go.
Money will be available to spend following the sales of those players mentioned previously, but it must be used wisely. Experience must be added to youth and talent, as well as the ability to deal with opponents that up their game against you on a weekly basis.
League One is a difficult competition, and Birmingham has no divine right to exit through the top tier. In recent years, major clubs such as Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland have found it difficult to return to the Championship.
With the division nearly complete for the upcoming season, it is shaping up to be an extremely difficult league to exit. Big-spending Wrexham and Stockport County have been promoted from League Two, joining Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United, the usual suspects at the top of the third division.
Throw in the possibility that Bolton Wanderers and Peterborough United may both fail in their promotion bids, and you have a mouthwatering top-end! That’s not to mention two more former Premier League clubs, Wigan Athletic and Reading, who will begin this season with point deductions.
Birmingham City must get their house in order and recruit expertly throughout the off-season. They cannot let the Wayne Rooney hangover persist, and if they start the season feeling sorry for themselves, they will be punished.
They will be targeted as a scalp by everyone they play, and in order to succeed, they must consistently deliver their finest performances. This season’s faults must not be repeated, or the Blues will face another long and unsuccessful season in 2024-25.
