Birmingham point of view

Rung the changes
By Karim Adab
May 10 2002

Following on from our Norwich point of view earlier in the week, we now let a Birmingham fan have their say. Blues fan, Karim Adab, lets us know how his feelings on the season and the coming game on Sunday.

If, back in the gloomy days of Post-Trevor November, you'd have told us Bluenoses that we'd end the season in a situation in which all that stood between us and Premiership salvation was Norwich City, then we'd have packed you back to Aston as the right old japester you were. To say that the climax to this season has exceeded most expectations is might be underselling the point just a tad.

Despite delivering a reasonable haul of points as Summer tailed off, the ghosts of seasons past continuted to haunt Birmingham City in inimitable style. Style being the operative word as Birmingham played with seemingly none at all, the team rooted in stolid, stodgy, long ball purgatory whilst supposed lesser sides enjoyed the successes brought by simple football played competently. Staleness had been allowed to fester in our play, and with little finance remaining to re-build Trevor Francis' rebuilding effort, the writing on the wall began to come ever more sharply into focus.

A humiliating 6-0 violation at the hands of Man City precipitated the (perhaps overdue) dismissal of Trevor Francis by "mutual consent" in late October. The heavily protracted drama of Steve Bruce's instalment finally came to a happy end on December 12th, where the St Andrews faithful saw Birmingham languish in mid-table following a brief boost afforded by caretaker managers Mick Mills and Jim Barron. A 2-1 defeat at local rivals and then table-toppers Wolves in Bruce's first game.

Bruce has been nothing if not ruthless with his changes. Realising that not only is time the most precious – and least affordable – commodity available to the modern day manager, but also that his inherited squad was somewhat long in the tooth and short on refined talent, come the end of February the axe was wielded. Four players were shipped out and eight brought in; eight with youth and promise on their side for relatively little real outlay, immediately settling to great effect as Birmingham ended the season 12 games unbeaten. Scalps were taken at Norwich and Burnley, impressive performances given against Wolves, Grimsby and Preston and Bruce's side began to emerge with genuine promise. With the emphasis on passing, attacking football, allied to a resolute defensive outlook away from home, the steep learning curve took us into the playoffs and now further, and also nearer, than we've ever been.

Our dying minute victory at Millwall will be remembered for many, many years; not least for the fact that the scenario which unfolded usually unravels against us rather in our favour, but there's a tentative optimism amongst Bluenoses that Sunday will yield even greater joy. No-one is quite believing, given Birmingham City's historical propensity to self-destruct within a breath of the finish line, but the recent achievements of our neighbours at West Brom has given hope that perhaps the long-suffering face of Midlands football might yet blossom into a millennial prom queen.

We'll be looking for bargain signing Stern John to finish as smartly as he almost didn't last week in Millwall and add to his impressive tally of 10 goals since early March. Source of great frustration for four years, Bryan Hughes, is gradually and promisingly developing into a midfield maestro under Steve Bruce's short reign, returning hero Paul Devlin will be a constant thorn in Norwich sides down the right wing, and Olivier Tebily gave a man-of-the-match performance in central midfield last week; winning and distributing the ball with skill belying a man of his impressive stature. In short, if we play to potential, then we can win it in style.

Whatever may pass tomorrow afternoon (and God knows we don't deserve to endure defeat now), and whatever division Birmingham City find themselves in Monday morning, the future is brighter than it has been for quite a long time.