{"id":2564,"date":"2024-10-01T15:39:45","date_gmt":"2024-10-01T15:39:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stakery.io\/?p=2564"},"modified":"2024-10-02T14:33:40","modified_gmt":"2024-10-02T14:33:40","slug":"can-tom-bradys-input-help-lead-birmingham-city-back-to-the-promised-land","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/stakery.io\/index.php\/2024\/10\/01\/can-tom-bradys-input-help-lead-birmingham-city-back-to-the-promised-land\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Tom Brady\u2019s Input Help Lead Birmingham City Back to the Promised Land?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Tom Brady\u2019s Blues are flying<\/h2>\n

Birmingham City\u2019s 3-2 win over Peterborough Utd on Saturday consolidated its place atop League One of the English Football League (EFL) \u2013 the third tier of English soccer. <\/p>\n

The Blues have dropped just two points this season and, after just seven games, are already being listed as short as -300 to win the league. <\/p>\n

Before a ball had been kicked this season, the club was the favorite to win the league \u2013 for reasons we\u2019ll come to later \u2013 but at a much more modest +188. But how and why has this happened?<\/p>\n

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Brady was to become a minority owner of Birmingham City<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Well, if we go back to August last year, there was only a modest fanfare when it was announced that NFL great Tom Brady was to become a minority owner of Birmingham City FC.<\/p>\n

After all, US investors in English soccer clubs<\/a> have become the norm, including Ryan Reynolds\u2019 and Rob McElhenney\u2019s investment into Wrexham FC, which they turned into a television documentary series.<\/p>\n

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\"\ud83d\udea8\" | Wrexham plotting move to sign one of the UK’s most prolific forwards, Ryan Reynolds means business. pic.twitter.com\/kEAyuBxorv<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 SPORTbible (@sportbible) January 9, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Loads of US investment in English soccer <\/h2>\n

But their approach was significant. It marked the start of US interest in English soccer expanding beyond the usual hedge funders and those solely looking for investment opportunities. <\/p>\n

It brought celebrities into the equation \u2013 some, of course, looking to expand their portfolio of investments, but others simply wanted to take a piece of the pie because they could and because of the buzz.<\/p>\n

Into which category Brady falls is still unknown, but it didn\u2019t take him long, once he had called time on his stellar NFL career, to seek his adrenaline rush from a different type of football field.<\/p>\n

Why Birmingham City and why Brady? \u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

To answer that question, we need to understand the recent travails of Birmingham City, which go back to 2010-11. Back then, they were a Premier League (EPL) club who, in February 2011, won the League Cup (English soccer\u2019s second most prestigious cup competition) by beating the mighty Arsenal 2-1 in a Wembley final<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Yet, while the club was riding the crest of a wave in February of that year, by the end of May, they were relegated to the second tier of English soccer \u2013 the Championship. Just two league wins in the 12 games that followed their Wembley triumph saw them finish that Premier League season 18th out of 20. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

It was a relegation from which the club, to this day, has never recovered.<\/p>\n

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a toxic relationship that led the club down a slippery and dangerous path<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

At that time, the club was owned by Carson Yeung, a Hong Kong-based businessman, but it was a toxic relationship that led the club down a slippery and dangerous path.<\/p>\n

In 2011-12, the Blues narrowly missed out on a place in the knockout phase of the Europa League but performed relatively well in the league, only just missing out on a return to the EPL.<\/p>\n

Off-field financial struggles<\/h2>\n

But off the field, there were financial problems and the club struggled to stay within Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. Problems were also identified in Birmingham City\u2019s day-to-day record keeping, and they were placed under a new-player transfer embargo.<\/p>\n

Manager\u00a0Chris Hughton\u00a0left the club as a result and from there, it became a struggle to keep the club in the Championship. New manager Lee Clark twice led them to safety but, against a backdrop of financial struggles, was sacked in 2014.<\/p>\n

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Birmingham City at home this season:<\/p>\n

Gary Rowett \u2013 2 defeats in 11 games.<\/p>\n

Gianfranco Zola \u2013 2 defeats in 2 games. pic.twitter.com\/xlLP2s3Ma0<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 bet365 (@bet365) January 2, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Some relative stability was restored under the management of Gary Rowett, who led them to consecutive tenth-place finishes, but by then, new owners were in charge of the club: Trillion Trophy Asia.<\/p>\n

Still, the financial problems persisted, but, with stars in their eyes, the new owners opted to sack the reliable Rowett in favor of a big name: former Italian superstar Gianfranco Zola.<\/p>\n

New owners, new direction<\/h2>\n

The aim was to take the club in a new direction and assist in the board\u2019s \u201cstrategic, long-term view\u201d but it didn\u2019t work and by then the Birmingham supporters, who were fully supportive of Rowett, were getting restless.<\/p>\n

Just two wins from 24 games under Zola\u2019s management left Birmingham needing two wins from the last three games to stay up, which they managed under the temporary stewardship of Harry Redknapp.<\/p>\n

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problems off the pitch were affecting the club\u2019s ability to produce good soccer teams on it<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But the rot had set in and Redknapp was followed by Steve Cotterill and then Garry Monk in the manager\u2019s seat, as it became clear the problems off the pitch were affecting the club\u2019s ability to produce good soccer teams on it.<\/p>\n

During the 2018-19 season, they were placed under more budgetary restrictions and were given a nine-point deduction for breaches of the EFL\u2019s Profitability and Sustainability (P&S) rules, but somehow managed to avoid relegation.<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly, Monk found the situation unworkable and left after an ongoing conflict with the club\u2019s board.<\/p>\n

US investors to the rescue<\/h2>\n

Monk\u2019s assistant, Pep Clotet, was appointed as his replacement and in 2019\u201320, the club miraculously avoided relegation despite going 14 games without a win at the end of the season. Still, the off-field turmoil persisted, and following Clotet\u2019s dismissal, Aitor Karanka, Lee Bowyer, and John Eustace were each handed managerial reins \u2013 all with limited success but in almost impossible circumstances.<\/p>\n

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NEW: I asked John Eustace about the eye-catching reports linking him with Rangers and then Wayne Rooney coming to Birmingham City. <\/p>\n

Eustace: “That [Rangers] is not a job that interests me at all.”#KRO<\/a> #BCFC<\/a> #RangersFC<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/wsrn1EhdM4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Dan Salisbury-Jones (@dsj_itv) September 14, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

But in 2023 there was a breakthrough. After two failed takeover attempts, Shelby Companies Ltd \u2013 a subsidiary of US-based Knighthead Capital Management and headed by the company\u2019s co-founder Tom Wagner \u2013 bought a controlling stake in the club.<\/p>\n

Importantly, the deal also saw them eventually take full ownership of the club\u2019s stadium, St Andrews, which had been partly closed due to ongoing and expensive repairs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Under the new ownership, the stadium restoration was completed and, significantly, former Manchester City CEO\u00a0Garry Cook\u00a0was appointed as the Blues\u2019 new CEO.<\/p>\n

Enter Tom Brady\u2026<\/h2>\n

And this, finally, is where Brady comes in. As of early 2023, he had already dabbled in investing in sports teams. He already held minor stakes in the NFL\u2019s Las Vegas Raiders, the\u00a0WNBA\u2019s Las Vegas Aces, and the Las Vegas Night Owls, a Major League Pickleball club.<\/p>\n

He and Wagner had been friends for several years \u2013 since their children attended the same New York school \u2013 so when the chance came to join forces and potentially take an English soccer club from the doldrums back to the big time, neither could resist.<\/p>\n

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use his leadership experience and expertise across several areas of the club<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Worth noting is that Brady\u2019s input isn\u2019t just financial. As chairman of the club\u2019s advisory board, he will also use his leadership experience and expertise across several areas of the club, including working with their sports science department to advise on matters such as health, nutrition, wellness, and recovery programs.<\/p>\n

But this story is yet to get its happy ending. In fact, it suffered a very rocky patch within a few months of them and their partners taking control of the club.<\/p>\n

Last October, with the team in the Championship playoff places, they took the odd decision to sack Eustace and replace him with a bigger name: former England record goal scorer Wayne Rooney.<\/p>\n

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\"\ud83d\udea8\"\"\ud83d\ude2c\"| A season to forget so far for Wayne Rooney and Birmingham City\u2026<\/p>\n

Birmingham were sitting in fifth in the Championship before they sacked John Eustace to appoint Wayne Rooney as new manager. \"\ud83e\udd2f\"<\/p>\n

Now, they are 19th in the league and Rooney has only won two out of 13 games. pic.twitter.com\/IKM8poGWBF<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 CentreGoals. (@centregoals) December 26, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

It was a move that replicated the move to replace Rowett with Zola in 2016 and had similarly disastrous consequences. Rooney managed just two wins from his 15 games and was replaced by Tony Mowbray who, himself, had to step down due to unfortunate health issues.<\/p>\n

Rowett was brought back temporarily but was unable to stop the club from slipping down to English soccer\u2019s third tier for the first time in nearly three decades.<\/p>\n

Third tier for the first time in nearly three decades<\/h2>\n

For Brady, Wagner, and company it was the worst possible scenario. Definitely not one that formed part of their detailed business plan.<\/p>\n

But, and it\u2019s a big but, the club\u2019s US owners made the almost instant decision to fight back and do all they possibly could to make sure that not only was their League One stopover a short one, but it would be the start of the club\u2019s rebirth \u2013 a quest to return it to its former glories.<\/p>\n

Their first task was to find a new, permanent manager and so to Tottenham Hotspur they headed and brought in Chris Davies, the senior assistant coach to Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.<\/p>\n

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sums previously unheard of in the third tier of English soccer<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

They then followed this up by going on a massive summer spending spree that saw them bring in 13 new players at an estimated cost of $39m \u2013 sums previously unheard of in the third tier of English soccer.<\/p>\n

One of their signings, Jay Stansfield from Fulham (who they previously had on loan), cost a reported $19.37m \u2013 a record for League One by some distance.<\/p>\n

The risk in putting together what is essentially a new team is considerable, but so far it has worked and worked well.<\/p>\n

Since drawing their opening game of the season 1-1 against Reading, they have won every league game, which included a fine 3-1 victory over Reynolds\u2019 and McElhenney\u2019s Wrexham. \u00a0<\/p>\n

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SIX WINS IN A ROW. THIS TEAM. \"\ud83e\udd29\" pic.twitter.com\/b9mQ0xDCro<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Birmingham City FC (@BCFC) September 28, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The comeback starts now<\/h2>\n

While it is still very early days, this Blues team is already being talked about as one of the greatest-ever in League One, and that\u2019s mainly down to the funding put in place by Brady, Wagner, and their people.<\/p>\n

There is still much work to be done, of course \u2013 not least of which is balancing the books to comply with the league\u2019s EFL\u2019s P&S rules \u2013 but for the first time in over a decade, Birmingham City fans are starting to believe and dream.<\/p>\n

All of a sudden, their dream of competing against city rivals, Aston Villa \u2013 who are in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League \u2013 on an equal footing doesn\u2019t seem quite so far-fetched.<\/p>\n

Brady claims to be in it for the long haul, which must be music to the ears of Blues fans. As a result, they would be well advised to strap in, roll with the punches, and see where this exciting journey takes them.<\/p>\n

The post Can Tom Brady\u2019s Input Help Lead Birmingham City Back to the Promised Land?<\/a> appeared first on Vegas Slots Online News<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tom Brady\u2019s Blues are flying Birmingham City\u2019s 3-2 win over Peterborough Utd on Saturday consolidated its place atop League One of the English Football League (EFL) \u2013 the third tier of English soccer. The Blues have dropped just two points this season and, after just seven games, are already being listed as short as -300…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/stakery.io\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2564"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/stakery.io\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/stakery.io\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stakery.io\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stakery.io\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2564"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/stakery.io\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2564\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2565,"href":"http:\/\/stakery.io\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2564\/revisions\/2565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/stakery.io\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stakery.io\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stakery.io\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}