After Birmingham City fired John Eustace, former Blues player clarified his position

BirminghamLive knows that rumors that Birmingham City is looking for a new sporting director are untrue.

Following the retirement of head coach John Eustace, legend of Manchester United and England Wayne Rooney is anticipated to take his place. According to reports this morning, the Blues are also looking for a new sporting director.

Craig Gardner, a former Blues player, has held the position for the past two years and has garnered praise for a successful summer hiring drive. 13 new recruits were signed by Gardner and Blues’ recruitment staff, which also includes Frank McParland and Joe Carnall.

Owner Tom Wagner also publicly congratulated Gardner for assisting Knighthead’s takeover in July. Wagner stated, “Without the assistance of our technical director Craig Gardner, we would not have been able to finalize this transaction. He deserves a ton of credit for assisting in bringing the deal to a successful conclusion.

Over the past two years, Gardner has put in a lot of effort in the background to keep the Blues’ roster competitive while having to make changes to meet Financial Fair Play requirements.

Garry Cook, the company’s CEO, has praised the 36-year-old’s work over the course of the summer and values his ties with important board members.