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Pleasant surprise
Nigel Clough claims Ryan Burke’s release from Birmingham City came as a surprise to some.
The youngster has signed a one-year deal with League Two team Mansfield Town after his time with the Blues came to an end.
Burke joined Blues in 2016 and made a first-team appearance in Stoke City in July 2020.
He was a regular member of Steve Spooner’s U23 team and helped win the Professional Development League Two play-offs last season.
That success was a stepping stone for the Stags, who saw his potential, and after playing him in the 23’s last season, they offered him a deal.
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“We saw Ryan play in Birmingham’s U23s several times last season and we were impressed,” said Clough on the club’s website.
“He’s aggressive, he’s not afraid and has a nice left foot. I’ve seen him play in the left back three, as a left full-back and as an orthodox left-back. He did well in every position.
“The Birmingham staff, some of them, were surprised that they let him go, they did the Birmingham 23s very well this year. They had a good player or two but we chose him. ”
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On the subject of matching items
On Gard
Birmingham City has used two guidelines for their recruitment in the past four or five years. Feast or famine.
In 2017 and 2020 there were only new player announcements, “Wadmin” and a philosophy of “just one more”, but the puzzle of a successful team remained unshakably incomplete.
In 2018, and to a lesser extent in 2019, either EFL or financial constraints meant high quality supplements were rare and – guess what, a successful team’s puzzle remained unsurprisingly incomplete.
The only constant has been manager turnover, resulting in churn of players and an excess of time or money, sometimes both just to kick water in the swell near the bottom of the championship.
The appointment of Craig Gardner as technical director is intended to end this cycle and usher in a new era of evolution instead of revolution.
A regime that will hopefully last years instead of months and in which recruitment – the heart and soul of a football club – is more proactive than reactive.
Despite his novelty in the most important role in a club, Gardner’s recent gaming experience, extensive contacts from a long career, his relationship with Lee Bowyer and his knowledge of Birmingham City and its owners should be of benefit.
From the Blues’ training base in Troon and in his first interview since his appointment, the 34-year-old covered every key area without prompting in an attempt to “bring back the good times” in his words.
“It’s very exciting, it’s a good opportunity, of course I know the club, I know the fans, I understand the fans, I understand the club.
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“I got this opportunity in Birmingham City – a club that is inside of me and I think people know that I will do everything in my power to help that club.”
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On the subject of matching items
No problem
Birmingham City are hoping to bring another striker to St. Andrews – but are not pursuing a deal for Josh Windass or Kevin Nisbet.
Blues is currently at a pre-season training camp in Troon and has taken three new signings with them.
Ryan Woods, Jordan Graham and Chuks Aneke have all made a good fit in Lee Bowyer’s squad, with Aneke brought in to advance the head coach’s options.
Blues are still keen to expand on this but may need to make room first, with Sam Cosgrove being the most likely candidate with the very real possibility of a loan deal for the ex-Aberdeen man.
The club have been linked to a number of other attackers, including Sheffield Wednesday’s Windass and Hibernian’s Scottish international Nisbet.
Blues has other goals in mind, however, especially as Windass is said to be priced at £ 5 million.
Millwall is said to have offered twice for the 27-year-old but has since loaned Benik Afobe from Stoke City.
The Queens Park Rangers are known for wanting a player who can play as a forward or attacking midfielder, while Fulham, Preston North End and West Brom are also linked.
As for Nisbet, a report in the Daily Mail claimed that the Blues are “on the hunt” alongside Swansea, Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Russian club Krasnodar FC.
You were certainly interested in the 24-year-old back in January and made a couple of attempts to get a player who later appeared at Euro 2020 to come to St. Andrews.
