The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Birmingham City

  • Redknapp named new Birmingham City manager

    Redknapp named new Birmingham City manager

    Birmingham City have appointed Harry Redknapp as their new manager, less than 24 hours after the resignation of former Italy forward Gianfranco Zola..

    The ex-West Ham, Tottenham and QPR manager succeeds Zola, who quit  on Monday after a 2-0 defeat by fellow Championship strugglers Burton Albion.

    Blues are 20th in the table, three points above the relegation zone with three games left, and travel to local rivals Aston Villa on Sunday.

    “Birmingham are a proper football club but they are in a precarious position,” the 70-year-old Redknapp said.

    Redknapp’s appointment was announced just 16 hours after Zola’s departure, and he says he will initially take charge until the end of the season.

    He took charge of Jordan for two World Cup qualifiers last year, and worked as an adviser to Derby County last season.

    However, Redknapp has not managed in England since leaving QPR in February 2015.

    An FA Cup winner with Portsmouth in 2008, he led Tottenham to the Champions League quarter-finals during a four-year spell at White Hart Lane.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in 2016, he was made a director at Wimborne Town and a football consultant for Australian side Central Coast Mariners.

    Redknapp, who will be assisted by former Bristol City boss Steve Cotterill, said: “I got a phone call last night at 7 p.m. from the people at Birmingham.

    “I drove to London and had a meeting of about 10 to 15 minutes with them and said: `I’ll come and do it.’

    “My wife said to me `are you mad or what?’ but I get fed up sitting around doing nothing.’’

    Blues could be in the relegation zone by the time Redknapp takes charge of his first match.

    Should Blackburn and Nottingham Forest both win on Saturday, Birmingham would slip into the bottom three.

    After facing Villa, Blues host promotion-chasing Huddersfield Town before visiting Bristol City on the final day of the regular season.

    “It’s a real challenge,’’ said Redknapp. “I’ll live up there until the end of the season, and if I keep them up I’ll sit down and talk about next season.

    “It’s not really a risk. They have won two out 22. I haven’t got a magic wand. I’m not going to turn them into Real Madrid. We need a win.’’

  • Zola quits Birmingham City

    Zola quits Birmingham City

    Gianfranco Zola has resigned as Birmingham City manager following Monday’s home defeat by fellow Championship strugglers Burton Albion.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 50-year-old Italian was in charge for just four months, during which time the team won only twice in 24 games.

    Their 2-0 loss to Burton left them 20th in the Championship table, just three points above the relegation places with three games remaining.

    “I sacked myself. I decided to give in my resignation,” said Zola.

    “I am sorry because I came to Birmingham with huge expectations. Unfortunately, the results have not been good and I take full responsibility.

    “It is not that I like quitting, but Birmingham deserves better. If I feel I cannot help the players. So, why stay? If I cannot help the team, it is better I leave and let someone else do that.

    “I feel very bad and very sorry. We worked with a lot of meaning, but unfortunately it didn’t produce the results. It is all very disappointing.”

    When predecessor Gary Rowett was sacked in December, Blues were seventh and only out of the play-off places only on goal difference.

    Club director Panos Pavlakis explained their decision to dispense with Rowett, now in charge at Derby County, by saying that Zola’s “pedigree” matched their ambition to “move in a new direction”.

    But the change of manager baffled many supporters — and results on the pitch have done nothing to win them over.

    Chinese-owned Birmingham issued a statement on April 10 giving Zola their full backing following a 2-1 defeat by Rowett’s Rams.

    But the loss to Burton, another of Rowett’s old clubs, leaves Blues without a win in nine games since beating local rivals Wolves at Molineux in February.

    The Blues have picked up just 16 points out of a possible 66 in Zola’s time in charge.

    Blues’ next game is at local rivals Aston Villa on Sunday.

    If 22nd-placed Blackburn, who are at Wolves, and 21st-placed Nottingham Forest, who are at home to Reading, were both to win their respective games on Saturday, then there is trouble.

    The Blues would start the game at Villa Park in the bottom three.

    It is the second time former Chelsea and Italy striker Zola has resigned as manager of an English club.

    He quit Watford in 2013 after five successive home defeats, and he also spent two years in charge of West Ham United.

     

  • Birmingham victory thrills Obafemi Martins

    Birmingham victory thrills Obafemi Martins

     

     

    Nigerian international Obafemi Martins was nostalgic at the weekend after watching his former teammates at Birmingham City earn three points away at the expense of hosts Wolverhampton Wanderers.  The two English Championship sides took to the pitch Friday at the Molineux Stadium in front of 27,541 spectators.

    Hosts Wolverhampton Wanderers who had Super Eagles goalkeeper Carl Ikeme in goal got baptism of fire as early as the 27th minute when Birmingham city shot into the lead through Maikel Kieftenbeld. As if that was not enough shocker for Ikeme and his teammates, City’s David Davis increased the tally for the visitors five minutes later.  It was not until the 73rd minute that hosts Wolverhampton managed to reduce the tally thanks to Malian import Nouha Dicko, but it was not enough to stop the visitors from running away with a 2-1 victory.

    Birmingham are 14th on the 24- team English Championship  log  with 43 points in 34 matches six places above Wolverhampton with 35 points in 32 matches.

    Martins who plays for Shanghai Shenhua and is currently shaping up ahead of the new Chinese Super League season due for kick off next month had a loan spell with Birmingham City in 2011 while on contract with Russian side FC Rubin Kazan.

    Obagoal took to the social media to give his former teammates a pat on the back for what he described as a well deserved victory

    “Happy Obafemi Martins day and shout out to all my former teammates’ #bcfcofficial at Birmingham city football club for the successful win,” he submitted backing up the tweet with a past photo with teammates in action a Birmingham.

  • Birmingham City starlet to train with Nigeria

    Birmingham City starlet to train with Nigeria

    Former Bendel  Insurance star Victor-Banks Otabor has confirmed that his son, Birmingham City midfielder Viv Efosa Solomon-Otabor, will train with the Flying Eagles in January ahead of the African Youth Championship(AYC).

    And he has nothing but praise for Solomon-Otabor for committing his international future to Nigeria, saying he’s very fanatical about the Africa powerhouse even though he was born in England.

    ”He has been invited but I don’t think Birmingham City have received an invitation letter yet. The Secretary told us the invitation letter is on the way, without the letter he can’t make the trip,” says Victor-Banks Otabor to SL10.ng.

    ”Foreign professionals will be in camp in January. The credit has to go to Viv, he’s passionate about representing his father’s country.

    ”He is fanatical about Nigeria. Whether he plays for England or Nigeria, I’m the winner. He supports Nigeria very well, I only need to guide him.”

    18-year-old Viv Efosa Solomon-Otabor is looking forward to the trip to Nigeria next month, and he still has fond memories of the country in a football sense.

    ‘The last time I came to Nigeria, I was 14. I was invited to train with Kwara Football Academy by my uncle, Thompson Oliha.

    ”I’m happy to finally know when I will be heading to Nigeria. I am happy about attending the camp, and my club will let me honour the call-up when the invitation is sent,” Solomon-Otabor added.

    Before hanging up his boots, Solomon-Otabor’s dad played for Bendel Insurance, NNPC and Eagle Oil.

    He also represented the famous Hussey College, Warri and Western Boys High School, Benin – City in the Principals Cup.