Birmingham City’s League One promotion-chasing roster boasts a plethora of Championship-level talent.
Birmingham City supporters have so little to worry about right now that the happiness of Chris Davies’ periphery players has become their primary concern. The man in charge isn’t too concerned.
Blues emerged into the summer transfer window with 17 new players and a first-team squad of 25, many of whom are performing below their potential in League One. The group is so powerful that Davies acknowledges that some will not accumulate as many minutes as they are accustomed to.
However, gaining promotion to the Championship on the first try is all Davies is concerned about, not keeping every member of his squad satisfied.
“When you worry too much about keeping everyone happy you are going down the wrong path because you are never going to keep everyone happy,” Davies told BirminghamLive.com. “Someone will always be unhappy in a squad.
“Even when I was at Celtic, we hadn’t lost a game in 69 games, and there were probably three guys who weren’t happy. It’s what it is.
“First and foremost, I want to ensure that we have a group that realizes that it is about more than just them. It’s about Birmingham City Football Club; we’re here to serve the club – I am, and the players are, regardless of personal goals.
“The big picture for us is that we still have 40 league games to go, which is more than a Premier League season’s worth of games, and they will all play a lot of football because 17 of them I signed, and the rest were the ones I wanted to keep.” “I want and value all of the players.”
The Blues’ games are approaching quickly. Peterborough, Huddersfield, and Charlton are all expected to challenge for promotion within the next eight days. According to Davies, rotating players is not necessary to increase their playing time.
He went on to say, “When it comes to rotation, I always believe that it rotates naturally due to injuries, energy levels, sicknesses, and other natural occurrences. If I have a gut feeling that this player is better suited to this game, I will always make that judgment; I will always go with my gut.
“The players have so far developed a strong team spirit. I believe that winning helps, that people can see where we’re going and that there is a great future for them and the club.
“I make a point of emphasising on the players on the bench, the players that aren’t in the squad and how they train and behave makes a massive impact on those on the pitch.”
“I make a point of emphasising on the players on the bench, the players that aren’t in the squad and how they train and behave makes a massive impact on those on the pitch.”
“It’s a fine balance. You don’t want people to be pleased not playing because you want a competitive advantage, yet that’s how you act. It’s one thing to be upset, but it’s another to toss your toys out the pram and have a detrimental impact on others. That’s not being a good teammate, and it’s not thinking about the club we represent.
“I believe we have a bunch of people with good character. The highs and lows of football. They all want to play; sometimes you don’t, sometimes you do, and that is the reality of being a professional football player.
“They just have to accept that and seize the moment when it comes, because with the team we have this season, you may be a really talented player who doesn’t get to play as often as you’d want. When you get the opportunity, you have to seize it.”
