LEE BOWYER has been named Birmingham manager after Aitor Karanka stepped down as Blues boss.
Former Blues midfielder Bowyer had resigned as Charlton boss on Monday and was announced as Karanka’s replacement minutes after news of the Spaniard’s departure from St Andrew’s was confirmed.
Birmingham said in a brief statement on Tuesday evening Karanka had stepped down, three days after he claimed in a post-match interview he would not resign from the Championship strugglers.
And around 15 minutes later the club confirmed Bowyer was the new man in charge, had signed a deal until June 2023 and had already taken a training session.
Club statement: “Birmingham City are delighted to announce the appointment of Lee Bowyer as the club’s head coach.
“Bowyer, who has signed terms with the club until June 2023, was at the Trillion Trophy Training Centre this morning to take training after the club reached an agreement with the former Charlton Athletic manager.
“The board of directors identified Bowyer as their number one candidate, highlighting his man-management skills and motivational qualities as paramount for the incumbent of the club’s head coach position.”
Bowyer has left a League One promotion push with Charlton to try to save Birmingham from the drop in the Championship.
The Blues sit 21st, three points clear of 22nd-placed Rotherham who have four games in hand.
Bowyer spent two-and-a-half seasons with the Blues as a player after initially joining on loan from West Ham in January 2009, and lifted the League Cup with the club in 2011 before leaving a few months later following their relegation to the Championship.
Bowyer told the club’s website: “I’m absolutely delighted and it’s great to be back. I’ve already seen some of the old faces from when I was here last and I’m just really looking forward to getting to work.
“My priority is to lift everybody. Not just the players, the staff as well. It seems like it’s not been in a very good place, so I’ve got to lift them.
“I’ve got to try and implement what I want very quickly. The team will improve, I have no doubt about that but we already have a good base to work with.
“We have to pull together as a club to make sure we are in this division next season so the fans can come back and appreciate what we do in this short space of time.”
In his three years in charge at Charlton, Bowyer twice guided the Addicks to the League One play-offs, losing the first final to Shrewsbury but earning promotion 12 months later against Sunderland.
Though they suffered relegation last season, going down one point shy of safety, Bowyer kept his job and had the club in a play-off battle this term.
Former Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest boss Karanka took charge at Birmingham last summer on a three-year deal.
The Spaniard had stressed on Saturday that he intended to carry on in the job. When asked if he would resign, Karanka said: “No chance. In my career I never gave up and here isn’t going to be the first place.”
Blues’ statement confirming his exit said: “The club can confirm that Aitor Karanka has stepped down as head coach. Further information will be provided in due course.”
lead by example captain robbie and stop waving your arms looking for fouls.
hush now less of that banter its all a bit of craic and a excuse to get pissed, have the faith there’ll be a few more sessions
We have kept the faith Robbie now get off your arse and repay it!!!
Would have more faith if keane was dropped for shane long.
He just doesn’t have the fitness, while longs height will Benefit that questionable long ball game we play. Unfortunately It looks like he’s starting, cox and himself were training together. Either way come on Ireland
agreed
Time for a reality check here…let’s face it, this Irish team does not have the required quality and technical ability needed to get the results we are all “dreaming” of. At best we are looking at 2 defeats and a draw…but we are there and let’s try and enjoy the occasion…
fk yeah we’ll have a pint, and hope they do well, but they’re awful, the worst team there. As for robbie, hes bloody RETIRED. la galaxy and some trite comment about it just being another game. They will give the ball to Spain again and again and it will b painful. As for people giving thumbs down to comments that aren’t hopelessly optimistic, cop on. You live in a corrupt boghole of a banana republic, getting all teary eyed about a couple of geezers kicking a ball about when your country was sold from under you by inbred turds. Y’all did fk all about that didnt you? Great guys to get behind Ireland when it costs you nothing. Stay in the cowardly herd with your coybig bs. Id rather see them lose and try to play than lose the way they did and will do.
Janey Mac is all I can say to that
I would b a fan of robbies but it’s not all about past achievements he’s not playin well a d should be on the bench
I’ll start too when your on the bench
Joke of a comment, we have very few players that have not only shown commitment to their country from the very start to the very end of their career, not to mention delivered as well when it matters. Keano is without a shadow of a doubt one of them.
Not saying that gives him automatic rights to a start, he knows that himself and said it two years ago. But facts are facts and he gets big big goals in big games.
One word – “Dream”
Well we got there and should be proud of that and as long as they are playing I will believe cmon Ireland I love this country
With a population of 4 million and a semi pro league we’ve always punched above our weight.
All the naysayers said we wouldn’t qualify, now they’re saying we won’t get out of the group, we’ve nothing to lose. COYBIG!
For you its just another game… Its a lot more than just another game to a lot of fans and home and especially away… u should run your socks off and do your best to get a result… at the end of the day it is 11 men against 11 men… i cant see why we cant get a result but we have to go into it with a good attitude and show no fear…. COYBIG
Exactly man.
The fans have more passion than the players.
The last game was actually cringe worthy and extremely frustrating.
They should be destroying themselves out there, giving the cliched 110%.
Robbies 300/1 to score a hatrick v Spain. I heard David Villa and Butragueno are 50/1.
He would have more chance of winning the lotto twice over..
Ireland will lose to spain and italy alike and will go home as predicted by me on th 19th june ,
If you predict it on 19th June it’ll already have happened – what black magic is this?
For everyone who are convinced ireland will lose. 2/7 are the odds for spain to win. You might have to give your bank 24 hours notice if you are withdrawing your life savings for a bet.
We’re still in with a shout i think…
..in 2016..
first you didnt want me to buy the pony, now you want me to bring it back. make up your mind marge…
The faith of what?