Chris Davies Takes the Helm
In a big move, Birmingham City have selected Chris Davies, Tottenham Hotspur’s assistant coach, as their next manager on a four-year agreement. Davies, who has a lengthy history of working with Brendan Rodgers at Swansea City, Liverpool, Celtic, and Leicester City, moves into the post following the resignation of Tony Mowbray. The team, recently relegated to League One, obtained a compensation agreement with Spurs, as Davies still had two years remaining on his contract
The process to choose a new manager was comprehensive, with Birmingham City evaluating over 40 applicants, including renowned names like Frank Lampard and Alex Neil. The position became available on 21 May when Mowbray stepped down for health reasons. Club owner and chairman Tom Wagner acknowledged his satisfaction with the appointment, adding, “From our first meeting, it was clear we were aligned on values and shared our ambition for Blues.”
Wagner, along with co-owner Tom Brady and chief executive Garry Cook, was part of the recruitment panel. Wagner further remarked, “He is widely respected in the game and fulfils our goal to appoint an ambitious, progressive coach. He is motivated to help redefine the club, the culture, and the playing identity.
Chris Davies is ready to begin his term at Birmingham City. He remarked, “As soon as I spoke with Tom, Garry, Tom Brady, and other board members, it was clear to me how passionate and committed the football leadership team are to bringing success to this club. I will offer everything to construct an offensive team that reflects this beautiful city, and most importantly, to generate a team that our supporters can be proud of.”
Birmingham City’s recent past has been defined by volatility. Since Knighthead, the American owners, took over at St Andrew’s 10 months ago, the team has seen seven different managers. The 2023-24 season began with John Eustace, who was replaced by Wayne Rooney in early October. Rooney’s term was short-lived due to poor performance, culminating to his departure in January.
Following Rooney’s resignation, Academy coach Steve Spooner took over briefly, followed by the appointment of Tony Mowbray. Despite a good start, Mowbray had to take sick leave, and Mark Venus stepped in. However, Venus also went on leave, resulting to Gary Rowett supervising the final eight games. Despite these efforts, Birmingham was demoted, marking only the third time in history the club has plummeted to the third division.
Chris Davies’ path in football began as a talented player at Reading, captaining the youth sides and gaining caps for Wales up to the under-19 level. However, an arthritic disease ended his playing career at 19, necessitating a turn to coaching. His career includes employment in summer camps, junior sessions, and abroad stays in the United States and New Zealand.
Rodgers, who originally took Davies into coaching at Swansea, continued to work with him at Liverpool, Celtic, and Leicester. Their relationship achieved great success, including back-to-back doubles in Scotland and an FA Cup victory with Leicester. Davies’ recent experience at Tottenham Hotspur under Ange Postecoglou further reinforces his talents.
Now, as he moves into his first management post, Davies is prepared to bring his wealth of expertise and innovative ideas to Birmingham City.
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