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Post by rickyqpr on Jun 13, 2022 18:59:29 GMT
Ex-Stoke City captain 'in line for job' amid takeover at Championship rivals
Lee Bowyer's future at Birmingham City is in serious doubt as Laurence Bassini closes in on takeover
Former Stoke City captain and favourite John Eustace could be back on the Championship sidelines next season at Birmingham.
A busy summer for Eustace, who got married in the Coswolds at the start of this month, is expected to carry on over the next few days and weeks. It is reported that he and Mark Warburton are in line to replace Lee Bowyer if ex-Watford owner Laurence Bassini completes his £35m takeover at St Andrew's this week.
Eustace - who played for Stoke between 2003 and 2008 - had been Warburton's assistant at Queens Park Rangers and was recently linked with the top job at Watford, another of his former clubs. He has also been on international duty coaching Republic of Ireland.
Warburton, who has previously been in charge of Brentford, Rangers and Nottingham Forest, had been at QPR since 2019 but left at the end of the season after a play-off bid faded. Bowyer's tenure has been in major doubt while uncertainty has gathered about the club's hierarchy.
Birmingham reporter Brian Dick said: "All the noises coming out of Blues ever since the end of the season, indeed those emanating from the man himself are that Lee Bowyer is Birmingham City manager. The 45-year-old told Jim White last month he is in contact with agents about procuring new players for next season. What else can he do?
"More often than not new owners have their own ideas about head coaches, in 2016 the current lot even sacked Gary Rowett when he had Blues seventh in the table. Seventh, for goodness sake. After a 2-1 win over Ipswich when the only grumble was about the style of play.
"Football being football, rumours about Bowyer’s future continue with Mark Warburton claimed to be a set to replace him. As with all the issues we’re about to discuss, all roads lead back to a takeover going through. Clarity is required before the players return for testing on Monday, June 20."
Bassini is hoping to complete his deal in the next few days.
BirminghamLive report: "Bassini first tried to buy the club towards the end of 2021 and came back in towards the end of last season when it emerged Keith Harris had been acting as a conduit between the club’s Chinese owners and a then unnamed British businessman. Bassini says he will not be a director or chairman but as owner will instead appoint a board of ‘very experienced footballing people’."
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Post by rickyqpr on Jun 13, 2022 19:02:33 GMT
Unbelievable that Bassini is close to buying another football club.
He is hated by all Watford fans....with very good reason.
He has tried and failed since to buy various clubs.....so will he succeed this time.
Warburton is an astute guy. Why would he get involved with Bassini?
But is says in the next few days.....
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Post by rickyqpr on Jun 13, 2022 19:15:29 GMT
from the BBC Website....
Former Watford owner Laurence Bassini is hoping to complete a takeover at Championship club Birmingham City.
Blues have been looking for new investment, with a number of parties keen to take charge at St Andrews.
BBC Sport has been told 52-year-old Bassini is travelling to the Midlands with the intention of finalising a £35m purchase of the club.
Birmingham have spent 11 successive seasons in the second tier since they were relegated from the Premier League.
They are currently Chinese-owned, by Birmingham Sports Holdings Limited, who have been in place since 2016.
Bassini is no stranger to controversy, having been banned from football for three years in March 2013 after being found guilty of misconduct by an FA commission.
He subsequently had talks about potential involvement at Charlton, Bolton and Oldham when they were suffering financial issues.
It is not thought Bassini intends to sit on the Birmingham board, but any deal would be subject to English Football League scrutiny.
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Post by robindubois on Jun 14, 2022 10:42:02 GMT
from the BBC Website.... Former Watford owner Laurence Bassini is hoping to complete a takeover at Championship club Birmingham City. Blues have been looking for new investment, with a number of parties keen to take charge at St Andrews. BBC Sport has been told 52-year-old Bassini is travelling to the Midlands with the intention of finalising a £35m purchase of the club. Birmingham have spent 11 successive seasons in the second tier since they were relegated from the Premier League. They are currently Chinese-owned, by Birmingham Sports Holdings Limited, who have been in place since 2016. Bassini is no stranger to controversy, having been banned from football for three years in March 2013 after being found guilty of misconduct by an FA commission. He subsequently had talks about potential involvement at Charlton, Bolton and Oldham when they were suffering financial issues. It is not thought Bassini intends to sit on the Birmingham board, but any deal would be subject to English Football League scrutiny. Why do these sort of guys want to own football clubs? Surely not as an investment these days as they are more likely to lose a fortune. Certainly not because they are lifelong fans of the clubs as they switch their attention from one club to another. We could ask the same about TF but it is beyond me. |
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Post by Macmoish on Jun 14, 2022 12:35:59 GMT
Questions could also be asked re why Bhatia/Mittal bought back into QPR recently (up from 2.5% to 10% and this American, Richard Reilly - 10% of shares. That's real money (at least for me!) 10 million pounds
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Post by rickyqpr on Jun 16, 2022 7:54:21 GMT
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Post by rickyqpr on Jun 16, 2022 13:09:28 GMT
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Post by robindubois on Jun 16, 2022 13:39:22 GMT
Interesting that both of them in their farewell messages thanked just about everyone at the club - except for Warburton. I would have thought he might have got a mention but maybe I am reading too much into it. |
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Post by rickyqpr on Jun 16, 2022 13:42:58 GMT
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Post by rickyqpr on Jun 28, 2022 14:20:36 GMT
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Post by rickyqpr on Jun 28, 2022 18:57:23 GMT
Birmingham have sold winger Ivan Sanchez to Real Valladolid. They’ve now only got 16 players at the club over the age of 21. Four of them were out on loan last season. So if Eustace does go there, he has got his work cut out as pre-season ticks away..... |
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Post by surreychad on Jun 29, 2022 7:19:25 GMT
I guess Warburton found that out and thought it would be an easier life (and possibly more lucrative) at West Ham.
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Post by rickyqpr on Jul 2, 2022 13:59:48 GMT
bluesfocus.co.uk/2022/07/02/john-eustace-set-to-replace-lee-bowyer-as-birmingham-boss/Bowyer gone - Eustace on the way in - Bassini still not in control.... Teams like Reading and Birmingham are initially this season fighting against the odds / playing catch-up. Eustace has been with QPR for a long time, and yet, as with most coaches, we have no idea how good he is or whether he is likely to succeed. I would have thought Swansea was a better option for him though, and he turned that down.
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Post by bristolpete on Jul 2, 2022 16:44:33 GMT
When he turned Swansea down, he was not unemployed.
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Post by rickyqpr on Jul 3, 2022 17:53:22 GMT
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Post by Macmoish on Jul 3, 2022 20:18:37 GMT
Good luck to him. (Just not TOO)) much good luck to him!
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Post by rickyqpr on Jul 19, 2022 19:31:43 GMT
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Post by rickyqpr on May 14, 2023 11:00:14 GMT
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Post by robindubois on May 14, 2023 11:51:13 GMT
Would probably prefer to see Eustace back with us than Ainsworth - no chance of it happening though. A Eustace/Ainsworth partnership would be interesting to watch !
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Post by nomar on May 15, 2023 17:12:33 GMT
Would probably prefer to see Eustace back with us than Ainsworth - no chance of it happening though. A Eustace/Ainsworth partnership would be interesting to watch ! I may be in a minority here, but I think GA should be given a chance now he's here. I understand the concerns about the potential style of football he may employ, but to be honest I'm sick and fed up of seeing 350 passes in our own third of the field and 75% of our forward passes going straight back to Dieng. I'm sick of seeing a team of p*ss weak players whose heads drop as soon as we go a goal down. I'm sick of seeing talented players in our team regularly getting outrun and outfought by lower league level players. This has all been happening with all the tactically gifted managers we've had, so I don't know why it would be any different with any other manager who scores highly on the analytical database scale. I may be one of the few QPR fans out there who'd rather see us winning 1-0 every week with 35% possession and know I'm watching a team that is going to be rock solid at the back, hard to break down and wont stand for opposition players taking the Mick on our home pitch. |
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Post by nomar on May 15, 2023 17:17:31 GMT
....Oddly enough, I also think he's actually the one who is finally going to get Les and Co to accept the home truths that the so called academy has failed massively and there is no one there who is really remotely as good as they want to believe.
This was the sword that Warbs ultimately fell on, but I get the feeling they may actually take it more seriously now if it comes from GA.
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Post by bristolpete on May 16, 2023 6:01:12 GMT
I was not in favour of GA being appointed. But we need a manager to have a full summer and that can only be GA. I am sure he has already started the necessary work.
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Post by robindubois on May 16, 2023 8:21:25 GMT
Would probably prefer to see Eustace back with us than Ainsworth - no chance of it happening though. A Eustace/Ainsworth partnership would be interesting to watch ! I may be in a minority here, but I think GA should be given a chance now he's here. I understand the concerns about the potential style of football he may employ, but to be honest I'm sick and fed up of seeing 350 passes in our own third of the field and 75% of our forward passes going straight back to Dieng. I'm sick of seeing a team of p*ss weak players whose heads drop as soon as we go a goal down. I'm sick of seeing talented players in our team regularly getting outrun and outfought by lower league level players. This has all been happening with all the tactically gifted managers we've had, so I don't know why it would be any different with any other manager who scores highly on the analytical database scale. I may be one of the few QPR fans out there who'd rather see us winning 1-0 every week with 35% possession and know I'm watching a team that is going to be rock solid at the back, hard to break down and wont stand for opposition players taking the Mick on our home pitch. I do not think you are in the minority and I fully support giving him a decent chance now he is on board and will support him and club as always. My concerns are probably based more on the style of play I think he will probably introduce and what, rightly or wrongly, comes across to me as our ambition being nothing more than to avoid relegation. I said I took my hat off to him for keeping us up and hopefully will do the same and admit I was wrong as next season progresses. It just seems the club is on a slow but increasing downhill slide but I hope avoiding relegation has put the brakes on that, will turn a corner and then we can look forward with a bit of optimism however small. The big concern or maybe area of importance must be the start of the season. Games start on August 4th but the window closes on September 1st - I expect any major departure activity for us would be close to the end of the window with little time to get replacements and by then we are already a month into the season. We need a decent start to avoid the loss of confidence and negativity that we saw last season. Come September we will see where we are headed. Why they cannot align the window close with the start of season is beyond me and just creates a bigger advantage for those with parachute payments who can raid other clubs after they see the first few games. |
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Post by nomar on May 16, 2023 21:00:40 GMT
I may be in a minority here, but I think GA should be given a chance now he's here. I understand the concerns about the potential style of football he may employ, but to be honest I'm sick and fed up of seeing 350 passes in our own third of the field and 75% of our forward passes going straight back to Dieng. I'm sick of seeing a team of p*ss weak players whose heads drop as soon as we go a goal down. I'm sick of seeing talented players in our team regularly getting outrun and outfought by lower league level players. This has all been happening with all the tactically gifted managers we've had, so I don't know why it would be any different with any other manager who scores highly on the analytical database scale. I may be one of the few QPR fans out there who'd rather see us winning 1-0 every week with 35% possession and know I'm watching a team that is going to be rock solid at the back, hard to break down and wont stand for opposition players taking the Mick on our home pitch. I do not think you are in the minority and I fully support giving him a decent chance now he is on board and will support him and club as always. My concerns are probably based more on the style of play I think he will probably introduce and what, rightly or wrongly, comes across to me as our ambition being nothing more than to avoid relegation. I said I took my hat off to him for keeping us up and hopefully will do the same and admit I was wrong as next season progresses. It just seems the club is on a slow but increasing downhill slide but I hope avoiding relegation has put the brakes on that, will turn a corner and then we can look forward with a bit of optimism however small. The big concern or maybe area of importance must be the start of the season. Games start on August 4th but the window closes on September 1st - I expect any major departure activity for us would be close to the end of the window with little time to get replacements and by then we are already a month into the season. We need a decent start to avoid the loss of confidence and negativity that we saw last season. Come September we will see where we are headed. Why they cannot align the window close with the start of season is beyond me and just creates a bigger advantage for those with parachute payments who can raid other clubs after they see the first few games. Anyone else looking at Luton tonight and thinking that's the kind of team in the mould that GA is going to try and build? |
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Post by Lonegunmen on May 17, 2023 10:14:03 GMT
To think Dog Kennelworth Road could be an EPL Ground. Going through someone's backyard to get into the away end. pmsl.
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Post by robindubois on May 17, 2023 11:22:02 GMT
To thing Dog Kennelworth Road could be an EPL Ground. Going through someone's backyard to get into the away end. pmsl. They plan to build a new stadium - looking since 1955. Hope to start work on a 23,000 seater in the same area at end of this year so likely they will be back down (if they get up) before the stadium is finished. Stadium cost is 100million so a year in the PL should go a long way to paying that as long as they stay out of the transfer market. |
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Post by rickyqpr on Sept 6, 2023 9:11:19 GMT
Was said to be on the verge of the sack last season.
Then again when the new owners came in.
Now he is being talked about as the successor to Beale if rangers pull the trigger.
Funny old world.
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