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Revolutions and Civil Wars
The Rowett Revolution carries on apace with Blues picking up another three points at the weekend courtesy of a well fought 1-0 win over Huddersfield. David Cotterill scored the winner with a free kick that left Huddersfield keeper Alex Smithies grasping at thin air to propel Blues up to fifteenth in the table, equidistant between the playoffs and relegation.
As Richard Wilford of Radio WM said on Twitter on Saturday, if this is a honeymoon period it’s a round-the-world trip for Rowett’s men, who have taken 17 points from their last eight games since Gary Rowett took charge. It’s caused fans to look up the table and dream of a playoff spot come May – even if to achieve that lofty ambition it would require a similar points per game ratio for the remaining 24 games.
I think Blues’ form over the last eight games has shown that this division really is much of a muchness; as Burnley showed last year with a consistent squad, luck with injuries and suspensions and some good organisation it’s possible to get into the top flight without spending the Earth. I think it also shows the importance of good morale around the place – once players started believing that they could win they kept doing it – winning after all is a habit and it’s one that Blues players have picked up in spades.
I have to be honest in that I don’t think the playoffs are necessarily achievable; however I don’t believe that’s the worst thing in the world. With all the crap Blues have been through on and off the pitch the last couple of years a bit of stability and consolidation wouldn’t go amiss; a chance to plan ahead and start not just building a team but a squad that continues to improve and develop over the months and even seasons ahead.
One of the major plus points of the players Clark brought in is the amount of players who were coming towards the prime of their career – and on relatively cheap wages. As much as I think Clark was limited as a coach I do believe Rowett has vindicated that Clark can spot a player; the amount of players that Clark brought in for relative peanuts – like Andrew Shinnie, Stephen Gleeson and David Cotterill – who are now all ripping up the division surely proves the point.
I wish it could be said that everything was fine back in HK but Pannugate rumbles on; the Sunday edition of the South China Morning Post ran with this story where it is now alleged that Pannu was stripped of his position for “exceeding his authority” – specifically with respect to the Jeremy Wray deal. Pannu claimed that he was given the authority to sign an NDA with Jeremy Wray to conduct due diligence at the club – which he was subsequently refused when other board members told staff at the club that a board resolution was required to confirm such action.
As I understand it from sources in HK, with the HKSE investigating matters since May at BIH, the BIH board had decided that they absolutely had to do things by the book and that no corners could be cut – an accusation that had been levelled at Pannu. How true this is I can’t verify but it would tie up with accusations Pannu had overstepped the mark in what he agreed with Gianni Paladini 12 months before.
Pannu has gone on the offensive now saying that Victor Ma Shui-cheong, Vice-Chairman of BIH and Carson’s brother-in-law had misappropriated funds from the company – something Ma has refused to comment over. What was a behind closed-doors boardroom battle has now become open insurrection and the AGM on January 6 could well be a very feisty affair.
Tags: David Cotterill, Gary Rowett, HKSE, Peter Pannu, Victor Ma Shui Cheong
28 Responses to “Revolutions and Civil Wars”
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Yes we’re doing very well and long may it continue… The playoffs are possible if we keep the same points per game ratio but it will be difficult and derby, forest and Wigan to come in the league with the blyth game in between will test our credentials…5 points from those three league games keeps us bang on course so lets judge after them.. We’re 22/28 and need to be 25/33 then we can have a real go but were still looking over our shoulder so lets be weary!. Lol&kro
Surely you mean wary which means cautious and not weary which means tired
Slightly more worried about January now with this Randolph story
I hope we can retain Randolph’s services for the long term, but if we can’t a loan deal for Butland looks attractive.
Good shout that. I really don’t rate Randolph that highly.Decent shop stopper ? Yes,but for a big man he doesn’t command his box and his kicking is poor. If we got a decent fee for him i wouldn’t be too upset if he went.
Great result on Saturday and GR is doing a fabulous job.
News from HK however is very concerning-accusations of fraud or misappropriation of funds will only lead to further delays and the HKSE and police will no doubt will be on the case already..
It’s yet another set back which in my view may takes months to resolve.
As for Pannua – he’s a nasty piece of work so tread with caution Dan.
The only thing we have to fear in going up this season is been whipping boys next year. But then who would bet against the Rowett Revolution methodology working again?
Going up would wipe out our debts at a stroke we had to be worthwhile and makes us more saleable too.
If we advance through the January transfer window with a continuing good form rating BIH could really believe this is a great opportunity for them all to metaphorically ‘get out of jail’ and provide some investment. I believe there is ready access to a few £m of the opportunity arises and someone ‘fancies a flutter’
Randolph would earn more at a Prem club but I doubt he would be anything other than on the bench. We will survive his departure if a replacement comes in.
I don’t think Randolph is a premiership keeper.He doesn’t impress me at all.
Randolph is not a premiership keeper, too many faults like dracula does not like crosses, doesnt command his 6 yard area, kicking not good, cant line up a wall.
Any chance Pannu had of being re-elected seems to be diminishing by the day, lets hope he blows the lid off everything that’s gone on at BIH, after all he likes shouting his mouth off and he may have nothing left to lose.
As for the team, stability, a team worth watching, and a Manager we can trust, good enough for me.
Share a thought for the Blackpool fans, questioning team selection / formation etc etc, fair to say the honeymoon period is over for Clark
Accusations of fraud and misappropriation of funds will need to be investigated by the HKSE and the police causing further long delays.
This is not good news for the future of the club.
In terms of the ‘honeymoon period’ I would say that is over, after a great start almost all media outlets suggested we would only find out about Gary Rowett once he and his team have experienced defeat… The answer was 6 points out of 6, 7 goals for, 1 against. KRO
I think that the question has been answered by now, Lee Clark, DOES have a very good eye for talent spotting, but it has taken Gary Rowett, to bring out the best with them.!!.
Roll on Jan, 6th, Hoping Pannu gets his,?.
Interesting article this: “the four jewels in the crown’ at Bloomfield Road are set to join Birmingham City as Lee Clark’s Blackpool scouting mission is about to come to an end”
which article?
Crown jewels at Blackpool ? They were in a worse position than us at the start of the season. They struggled to put out a team.
Looking forward to the rest of the season with hope is 100 percent improvement on last couple of seasons.
Pannu and the board are the only draw back and need sorting by the authorities.
Garry needs to be given the opportunity to progress I have faith and trust in him
Kro happy new year for blues I think
Dan, thanks for the update on the HK situation.
I think we’ll finish mid-table which, given where we were a couple of months ago, would be a great result.
Here’s my two pennies worth:
1. Why does Clark get credited with spotting the players that were signed during his tenure? Wasn’t that the responsibility of the scouting staff?
2. This is a bit Devil’s Advocate, but a serious question nonetheless. The club seems to be running on a (relatively) even financial keel, the threat of relegation has all but disappeared, we have an intelligent manager and a team playing attractive, expansive football. Why do we want BIH out? If they could become better communicators (surely one of Tats’ responsibilities?), should we really be so desperate now to see the back of them? I could understand it when they seemed powerless/unwilling to dispense with the previous manager, but when they eventually did act, it worked pretty well.
Anyone remember Tats?????
[…] announcement follows hot on the heels of the article in yesterday’s edition of the South China Morning Post alledging misappropriation of funds by […]
Just shows what I have always thought. Lee Clark is a really good manager….. in June/July. It is just August-may he was shocking.
Although Tom Ross has since said he was wrong this proves the point that his non-stop defence of Clark by saying he had nothing to work with was rubbish.
This is the thing with Tom (I like the man I think hes genuine) He is the perfect example of wanting to stay on the right side of people.
He went on week after week about Clark having nothing to work with, he didn’t want to engage in a debate about it.
The problem Birmingham have with retaining any player that is interesting other clubs is the wage cap, many clubs in the Championship, never mind the Premiership can pay at least double what Birmingham can offer their players. The Rowett revolution only papers over the cracks of what those in Hong Kong have done to this great football club.
lovely to see a player reaching his potential, that’s why clark bought to blues knowing he could score goals like that……….ho ho
our procession was poor, shots on goal stats was about 9 at last we are getting the lucky breaks, sometimes a player takes a punt then bingo…..glad to see GR was going to drag him off because he thought he was poor, bet his glad he kept him on…….. sometimes these things go for you
Daniel where going to be a lot wheels turning in wheels, pp will be like a wounded animal, you obviously hit a nerve…………i wonder how Carson might play his cards come January?/
*there