Last year, Worcester’s own George Hall was the shining light at Birmingham City. The teenage midfielder enjoyed a breakthrough year in which he made 30 league appearances in his maiden campaign as a senior. Many expected him to kick on this season and become a crucial part of the Blues midfield. However, he has featured for just 57 minutes in all competitions due to a horrific hamstring injury.
At first, it looked as though the Midlands club would be just fine without their newest prodigy. They began the campaign with five wins in their first 11 games and were flying as high as fifth place in early October. That’s when they shocked both the St. Andrew’s faithful and the wider footballing community by sacking manager John Eustace, who was in the midst of a stellar stint. He was replaced with former England captain Wayne Rooney.
What followed was a disastrous run of form that saw the club plunged into a relegation dogfight. The website OddsChecker.com compares the best bookies odds and offers, bringing together free bets from the biggest companies in the industry. They have the Blues as a 9/1 outsider for the drop. But that is no reason for the club to rest on its laurels.
Rooney Disaster Leaves Blues in the Mire
When Rooney was appointed Blues boss on October 9th, many were confused. However, fans hoped that the Manchester United icon could build on the promising start to the campaign that his predecessor had started. What followed was three defeats on the spin and any hopes of a top-six finish immediately going up in flames. Rooney wouldn’t get his first win until his sixth game in charge and that came against rock-bottom Sheffield Wednesday.
But even though he got the three points in that relegation six-pointer, the upturn in form never came. Just one win in nine would follow for Birmingham, a run of games that saw a further five defeats. A 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Leeds United cost the 38-year-old his job. He has since been replaced by former Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray. The Northern Irishman is leading the Blues in their bid to avoid the drop from the second tier.
Mowbray did lose his first game at the helm and, to make matters worse, it was to relegation rival Sheffield Wednesday, who gained redemption for their defeat earlier in the campaign. Mowbray did pick up his first win in just his second game in charge, a 1-0 victory at home to Blackburn Rovers. Will the upturn in form come at the second time of asking? Or will Tom Brady and Co. regret sacking the axed John Eustace?
