Birmingham Post - Sport Blog

Clark not afraid to give youth a chance

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:54:50 +0000

Blues fans awoke this morning to the news that three academy graduates have been offered new contracts.

As the Birmingham Mail reported here, Mitch Hancox, Will Packwood and Amari'i Bell have been offered new deals, whilst Callum Reilly has had an option in his contract exercised by Blues to keep hold of the midfielder for another year.

Forgiveness and vanity projects - a couple of Baggie moans.

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 11:38:02 +0000

It has been a while since I last felt the urge to blog. That is normally the way when things are going well. The return of Twittering Pete almost brought me out of my blogging slumber the other week but I felt people had grown tired of the bloke. Yet I have spotted some support creep back for him and it has stirred up the blogger in me. A second moan forming in the Meldrew section of my brain is regarding stadium expansion. More of that later.

End of the road for Tweeter Odemwingie?

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 17:51:29 +0000

Oh Peter, how did it come to this?

A week or so ago, his place in Albion fans hearts was getting to Bob Taylor levels. Derby goals will do that. He would never have had to buy a pint of the black stuff again around these parts. Despite QPR's public advances, he told everyone this was his club and that he was settled. Most fell for it. Personally, I never bought it. He has always been just a tapping up away from a move. A perfect client for any agent.

Brunt, The New Scapegoat.

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:20:08 +0000

Today was a sad day for me. I haven't had many of these down the Albion for a while. It wasn't the defeat against Fulham, or even the display, which was admittedly poor. It was our support that saddened me. The booing at half and full time was really disappointing, the treatment of Chris Brunt shocking.

Much Ado About Redmond

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 18:27:05 +0000

Hyperbole: noun - obvious and intentional exaggeration.

Hyperbole is something that is common among football fans of every club, up and down the country. At Blues, nowhere is hyperbole more prominent than when starting a discussion about Nathan Redmond.

Strange Times Down The Baggies

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 10:56:23 +0000

It has been a while since I last blogged. I feel a little guilty and neglectful. Thing is, football blogging tends to be a negative thing. A chance to have a moan or raise concerns. Hence my inactivity. Its going oh so well. I don't want to jinx things by talking positively in blogs all the time. The old Semper Te Fallant feeling that Baggies have is never far under the surface.

It's not all Lee Clark's fault

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 19:30:39 +0000

Much has been made this week of the future of Blues boss Lee Clark following the team's 5-0 home demolition by Barnsley.

The general consensus amongst Birmingham fans is that he should either be sacked or resign - a viewpoint I find frankly absurd.

Barnsley inquest

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 20:59:09 +0000

That's not much else that could have gone wrong for Blues today.

From the offset, we were without a recognised right-back, a problem that extended to the other side of the pitch when David Murphy went off injured. Ambrose replaced Murphy and Jonathon Spector slotted in at left-back as Blues' defensive woes continued.

West Bromwich Albion- The FA's Academy?

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 20:15:56 +0000

Five months ago, everything was rosy in the world of Baggieland. We had one of the best managers in the business and the best Director of Football. Now, they have both been poached by the F.A. A massive compliment to our clubs excellent progress but potentially a crushing blow to our future. If this was to happen to most clubs, a period of decline would surely follow. Will this be the case for us? I think not.

Early away day tactical woes

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 00:07:08 +0000

As Lee Clark touched on after the Watford defeat, Blues have started poorly in all four competitive games so far this season.

We went 1-0 down to Barnet after a sloppy opening period, whilst Charlton could have been a few goals clear, had Bradley Wright-Phillips been any good in the air. On those occasions, Blues came back to steamroll their League Two opponents and snatch a draw against the newly-promoted Addicks.

Baggies Season Preview

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 06:32:57 +0000

Well, here we are again. It's that time of year again when football fans are full of hope and dreams, unspoiled by a league table. Although, that has not always been the way at the Albion going into the first game. This hope is a recent phenomena. Damn that Jeremy Peace, I quite liked my expectations low. We all know that it's the hope that kills you.

Season Preview - Goalkeepers

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:00:49 +0000

With the league campaign kicking off this weekend, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at the squad we will be using to do battle. A 5-1 victory last night against Barnet has given us a few pointers for the season ahead and I'll be using that game, some pre-season action and manager Lee Clark's comments in this preview.

As it would be wrong of me to squeeze the whole squad into one piece, I will break it down to ensure everyone gets a fair write-up. Today, I'll focus on the goalkeeping position and I will work down the pitch each day, culminating in the strikers preview on Saturday morning before the Charlton game.

Blues handed category two EPPP status

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 17:57:06 +0000

Blues have been handed a 'category two' status under the FA's new Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP).

The plan, which is designed to improve the quality of home-grown players, means that clubs with the highest category rating receive more funding than ever before in their youth development schemes and consequently, the national team will apparently benefit.

In-Depth Statistical Profile of Karim El Ahmadi

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 21:06:12 +0000

In what is the second installment of my blog from last week detailing just what sort of player we might be signing in Karim El Ahmadi, here we will gain a purely statistical viewpoint on Lambert's new lion.

Who Are Ya? A Profile of Karim El Ahmadi

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 17:39:28 +0000

So it seems Villa are on the verge of sealing another signing from the Eredivisie, this time in the shape of Feyenoord midfielder Karim El Ahmadi. The Dutch-born Moroccan international helped his side to a second placed finish last season and looks as though he could be new manager Paul Lambert's first signing at the club.