EXCLUSIVE

Inside Birmingham City: Chris Davies out to add layers to his team as Blues build momentum for Championship return.

As part of our Inside the EFL series, Adam Bate sits down with Birmingham City manager Chris Davies for this exclusive interview ahead of their Championship return; watch Birmingham vs Ipswich live on Sky Sports Football this Friday; kick-off 8pm.

What next for Birmingham City after achieving the highest points total in the history of English football? Chris Davies could retire now with a higher win percentage than Pep Guardiola. But that is not the plan. He and Birmingham are just getting started.

Davies knows the numbers. The most points? “One-hundred and eleven.” More league games won than any English team before them? “Thirty-four.” Not bad for a club with a highest finish of 17th in the previous eight seasons. One that had forgotten how to win.

“It was a rejuvenation of the whole club, really,” Davies tells Sky Sports. “That was so enjoyable after so many years in the doldrums, poor leadership and ownership, and just chaos. To actually have a season to remember, for the fans, it was a long time coming.”

For Davies too. After assistant manager roles at Liverpool, Celtic, Leicester and Tottenham, he had long felt ready for this chance. “It just felt right with Birmingham. You want to try to make an impact straight away and I saw that opportunity here.”

Speaking to Sky Sports inside an office at St Andrew’s, he can now say with confidence that he prefers the top job. “I feel better being a manager.

It is more consuming but less stressful. You are not second-guessing yourself. I feel more comfortable in this role.”

Others, such as the popular Jay Stansfield, who won a trophy with England’s U21 side this summer, are expected to develop further when surrounded by better players. “This is a very exciting time for Jay. “He has everything I enjoy,” Davies says. “He is full of energy, works extremely hard, and possesses excellent technique and intelligence.

Having worked with Jamie Vardy, I believe Jay is the type of striker who can be so dangerous with their movement, cleverness, and speed. I’m looking forward to seeing him grow.”

Others, such as Alfie May, will not continue on their journey. The 32-year-old striker appeared in 57 of Birmingham’s 60 games last season, more than any other player in Davies’ early managerial career.

“That was one of the hardest decisions that I have faced in my time in football,” he tells me. “He was a catalyst, really, for us going up.” But Birmingham wants to keep the momentum going, which requires ruthlessness. May not be guaranteed game time.

“We would never push him out of the club. But we had an honest conversation.” Those chats have changed since last summer when he was trying to persuade people to stay. “When you go down, everyone wants to leave. When you go up, nobody wants to leave.”

Davies hopes Kyogo can bring everything May did and more. “He is in the Alfie mode, a real finisher with both feet around the box.” After losing Jutkiewicz, they intend to bolster the squad with a superior target man. “I like having different types,” he says. “I want three different types of strikers to choose from.

Having a larger one can be a good option for going over press or attack crosses during certain stages of a game.” It indicates that Davies has given considerable thought to how he will need to adjust things.

Birmingham dominated possession last season in League One and ball retention will remain a priority but there is an awareness that the opposition has changed.

They will face fewer low blocks and that will ask different questions of Davies and his team.

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