TWELVE months ago, Chris Davies identified potential imports who could play under the pressure of winning, week in, week out.
There were players from north of the border – think midfielder Tomoki Iwata, defender Ben Davies and winger Scott Wright who had all appeared under the fiercest of spotlights in Glasgow, where any defeat almost sparks a national enquiry.
That drive and determination to succeed had been lost – but after a sticky start the club turned that on its head. An unbeaten home league record at any level of football takes some doing.
So, there is clearly a good platform to work from.
Davies has tried to upgrade, adding several players who will surely make a difference to his squad.
Promotion favourites Ipswich Town visit St Andrew’s this Friday night. That’ll be an occasion to savour.
A Carabao Cup date with Sheffield United isn’t the easiest for either club. Blackburn are traditionally a bogey team for Brum, although the 7,000 supporters who will make the trek up the M6 will be hoping otherwise.
Oxford United – with former boss Gary Rowett in tow – will be a tough nut to crack. That’s followed by an east meets west (Midlands) dust-up at Leicester.
In an exclusive interview this week, boss Davies suggested that this quintet will tell him exactly how well-prepared his squad is to make a determined upwards push.
And read on, please – now you’ve got this far – as there are tactics at play here.
Davies said: “Last season, we had a squad that started the season.
“It was different when the window closed. Five players left. And a few came in.
“I believe we have got a squad that is ready to start the season. To add those final touches is going to be really important.
“I envisage that we will be proactive in the last four weeks of the window because there are a lot of moving parts. We have done really well because we have done deals early.
“The owners are good here. When we press the green light, we get deals done.
“And there are a lot of Premier League teams on tour right now.
“When they get back, they will start to shuffle the pack. That knocks down to the level below. It is fluid. We’ll have to see how it goes.
“I believe that we are not complete. We still need to add before now and the end of the transfer window.”
Birmingham City supporters know that the three players brought in during the final week of the window last season tipped the balance.
Davies and Iwata were joined by the deadline day £15m signing of Jay Stansfield.
That trio were the icing the cake. They made a difference.
Boss Davies has left the door open again.
Birmingham City will spend and go again before the transfer window closes.
The club appears to be in rude health. But the time the market shuts down at 7pm on September 1, the question is as to whether it could be a more attractive punt.
The outstanding issue is whether you believe Davies can identify and deliver those players who can make a difference.
