What next for Birmingham City?

As part two of a three-part series, we investigate what the best options are for the relegated clubs to bounce straight back into the Premiership.

Sort out the Finances.

This is a tough one to figure and has overarching ramifications for everything that follows. Apparently Carson Yeung has had to sell shares in order to finance the club's expenditures this year and his - and the entire club's - financial footing has been called into question. Without the megabucks Premiership TV revenue and the increased costs of a Europa League campaign which really doesn't offer much in prize money, the club's finances only get murkier. This, of course, is much easier said than done.

Keep Alex McLeish.

Say what you will about his ability to direct an offense, Alex McLeish can really coach defensively. He escaped the Championship at the first attempt after relegation in 2008 with a less capable group of players and, finances notwithstanding, he can be confident that this squad would be the Championship's most defensively sound. He's a reasonably popular media man and after masterminding the club's Carling Cup win, he deserves the chance to lead the Brum into Europe, where he has experience after his time at Rangers.

Remove the big-salaried players.

Rather than throw good money after bad, let them walk for free if it frees the wage budget. That means you, Nikola Zigic. Central midfield duo Barry Ferguson and Lee Bowyer are amongst the Blues' highest paid players, but come with considerable downsides - neither has the legs any more to even do a convincing impression of a box-to-box midfielder. Their best days are past: if at all possible, retire Ferguson to Scotland and send Bowyer packing (as has been promised).

but...

If possible, find ways to keep: Roger Johnson, Scott Dann and Ben Foster.

Granted, all three may want to leave for pastures Premiership. Try to sell them on a Europa League campaign which Birmingham may do quite well in. If they still value EPL status, sell the most profitable/highest salaried of Johnson or Dann and use Curtis Davies as his replacement. Foster, though a very good goalkeeper, These players, surrounded by above-average fullbacks like Stephen Carr, would form the cornerstone of a nigh-on impenetrable Championship - and possible Europa League - defence. Colin Doyle and Phillips contemporary Maik Taylor are good Championship level custodians, meaning Foster is perhaps more replaceable than the centre-backs.

Admittedly, given the expensive contracts doled out to these key players, this could again prove easier said than done.

Get healthy.

The Brummie nation lost several games to injury this year with James McFadden, Scott Dann, Cameron Jerome and Zigic among the worst hit. If that foursome played more often, it's likely they would have mustered either the goals or, at worst, the goal difference to remain in the Premiership. Trainers can make a difference, so keeping your best players healthy means for a much easier route back to the Premier League.

Adequately replace Sebastian Larsson.

Larsson is gone - G-A-W-N. After stalling for months on signing a new contract, being dangled unceremoniously to Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United, the man who looks more Swedish than IKEA has made it plain he won't be back at St Andrews. He's been key for the Blues on the right of midfield and will want to stay in the Premiership.

Likely replacements from the second tier could include former loanee Scott Sinclair (though they'd have to pay to get him from Swansea, and only if they don't seal promotion), Reading's Jimmy Kebe (the same applies) or even Leeds' Robert Snodgrass. Given McLeish's preference for experience over youth, expect them to target older Premiership targets such as Ricardo Gardner, Brett Emerton or Bjorn Helge Riise.

Given much of their game is built around scoring from set pieces, acquiring someone with dead-ball magic is of the utmost priority.

Reinforce the strikers with top-level Championship talent.

It's no secret the Brummies have struggled in front of goal for three four the best part of 25 years now. Their goals scored has declined over their past three Premiership stints from 46 to 38 and finally this year, 37. Their intervening spell in the Championship (2008-09), they only mustered 54 goals, an average of 1.2. Cameron Jerome doesn't score, Kevin Phillips is ageing faster than Walter Donovan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and this year's big acquisition Nikola Zigic had the season from hell. They score less often than Urkel at a Supermodel convention.

The Championship has plenty of striking options where the Blues could take advantage. Billy Sharp, Kris Boyd and Scott McDonald all have the ability to tinkle the twines, if not necessarily add much to lead-up play. They're all worth an inquiry. If the price is right, Everton may be persuaded to part with Jermaine Beckford, James Vaughan or Yakubu.

Chase the Europa League

You only get the chance to play in Europe so often, so to simply disregard that opportunity in favour of an instant Premiership return seems foolhardy from afar. Understandably their priority should be regaining their top flight status, but it's also worth rewarding the fans with trips to Podgorica, Belgrade, Split or St Etienne. By chasing the Europa League, you also send a message to potential wantaways like Foster, Johnson, Dann and (crucially) Craig Gardner that the club has ambition, if not necessarily the finances to currently fuel it.

Image of Sebastian Larsson courtesy: www.bbc.co.uk/sport

Image of Alex McLeish courtesy: www.klikfc.com

Can Gold & Sullivan thrive at West Ham?

The Davids, Gold and Sullivan, have been involved in English football for several years now. In partnership they bought out the controlling stake in Birmingham City FC in 1993 after both independently made their fortunes, the adult movie business prime among their earners.

After protracted back and forth with Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung, The Davids sold Birmingham City in 2009, with Sullivan citing a lack of support from the Birmingham Council and from fans as major reasons for their departure. The pair then returned to their East End roots, purchasing 50% of West Ham United, the club both had supported as boys. Upon completing the purchase they then expressed their surprise at the levels of unreported debt at the club.

The Davids have a highly visible public profile. Both are successful businessmen and when asked, will spout opinion on their asset - the football club. According to the ESPN Soccernet podcast, when one journalist approached press time without a story, he would just call David Sullivan and all would be well. Of course as owners, they are entitled to comment upon the health of their asset but football matters have long been considered taboo for non-football executives, a line that they've crossed repeatedly over the past few years. Last season as Gianfranco Zola's tenure as West Ham manager very publicly wound down, it seemed one David was forever refusing to guarantee Zola his position while the other would appear more supportive.

Their immediate subordinate is Karren Brady, who the pair appointed as Managing Director of Birmingham City in 1993. Then only twenty-three and the first woman in such a position in the top flight of English football, Brady has parlayed her undoubted ability and business nous into considerable fame, attracting awards as diverse as recognitions from the Queen, to being voted one of FHM's Sexiest Women of the Year. She's another high-profile type, writing newspaper columns and serving as Alan Sugar's assistant in the UK version of The Apprentice. Brady, now the Vice-Chairman of West Ham, is known in the business as a "sacker" - though the stats don't really back that up, with Birmingham City only having four permanent bosses on her watch.

Can such a visible and vocal triumvirate promote long-term success at a West Ham? Outspoken opponents of the debt level in English football, The Davids are fiscally responsible but have also spent on the transfer market, meaning thrift isn't their ultimate watchword. No doubt their business acumen is keenly tuned but during their time at West Ham they've been guilty of speaking before seeing the full ramifications of their words. Though the situation is unquestionably fraught with a precipitous fiscal position, manager Avram Grant has been in the gun for several weeks as a young Hammers squad sits in the relegation zone, with a recent run of four wins from seven unable to bring about the dreaded "Vote of Confidence".

With such an unstable club, don't such public comments just undermine a manager's credibility and control within the club? If meetings are held, as reported, on a near-weekly basis to discuss a manager's future then surely players are less likely to respond to a dead man walking? And with The Davids and Karren refusing to promote stability - deliberately or not - in the club by supporting or firing the gaffer, then levels of indecision rise to an almost criminal level. Like most people, players value certainty when it comes to their future lives and careers. Fear of this future doesn't allow anyone to perform to their best.

The issue isn't if The Davids can run a football club - that was proved during their time in the Second City. The issue is whether they are aware that their public profile could be damaging the club's chances of Premiership survival, and and if so, are they are willing to sacrifice their right to speech if it aids the club's chances? They should heed the example of Newcastle United's achievements when a formerly bombastic board shut their mouths and allowed a quieter manager space to operate.

Life with The Davids and Karren is always interesting. For the foreseeable future, it should remain so.