birmingham city

[skinnymate1690 653]

I don't watch a lot off their games when they are on sky because they are pretty poor to watch but looking at the league table I see they still have a chance of being relagated , surely with the players that they have they should be comfotable mid table at least .

I know they won the carling cup which is a good acheivment but has mcleish really done that good a job this season ?

When you have players like larsson hleb zigic ferguson , ridgwell and the likes I would expect them to be in a better position

Also they are joint lowest scorers in the league along with wigan

[supermac 115]

If they stay up they must be one of the tips to go down next season. A few decent players going and Ferguson a year older, unless they spend I think that will be their fate

[peter47safc 25]

Plus Larsson, Hleb, Bentley and Martins all won't be there next season. You do have to worry about them next season, they'll be in europe so more games aswell. They'll have to spend big but I don't see them doing it.

[simplythebest 11,453]

Second season syndrome happens a lot, a team going up to the Premiership needs to accept the possibility of being in scraps for a few seasons before being established, unless the transfer activity is of Man City proportions.

Eck's done a great job there, got them right back up after not quite managing to avoid relegation when he hadn't been there a full season, took them to a record 9th position and a record unbeaten run in their first season back, the unbeaten home record and this season he's won them their first trophy since the 60s, bringing Europe next season along with it.

He exceeded expectations last season in the league and that's probably why people expected them to be comfortable again this season after signing a few good players, but there's been bad luck with injuries. Scott Dann has missed almost all of the second half of the season, Hleb has struggled for fitness and form, Zigic took a while to find form and them got injured, McFadden's been out all season basically, the January buys in Bentley and Martins have had injury problems, there's others too i can't really remember off the top of my head.

Getting them EPL football for next season and winning the Carling Cup would constitute another good season for Birmingham, taking the cups as seriously as they did (got to the FA Cup quarters too) may have actually damaged their league campaign a bit. But they'll need to invest a fair bit in the summer if they want to avoid another relegation scrap and take Europe seriously at the same time.

[MasterD 7,442]

Don't think I would expect them to be any higher than maybe 15th

Staying in the league and winning a cup is a good achievement

[ClaretGer 5]

Watched Burnley against these home and away last season, at home they were probably the worst team to visit Turf Moor. They have a very strong squad, quite defensively minded though. McCleish has done a very, very good job there but I think the pressure will be on big time next season..and with Europe in the way that could work out as a catalyst for their failure.

I don't mind Birmingham and I'm a big fan of McCleish's but their support is fucking shocking, brought less than 1'000 on a Saturday last year..for a city of Birmingham to bring that is shite.

[Amac9 2,060]

They are an awful side.

[Irwin Sparkes 97]

They are just a workmanlike team with virtually no flair. Even last season, they were shite for the majority of it

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,769]

only interested in them for eck

so hope they stay up and be more successful each and every season he is there