Birmingham

Keep or release: Our writers agree on Birmingham City’s eight out-of-contract players

Published

8 months ago

May 9, 2024

The Neal Etheridge

AD: “This season, I’ve only seen him play three or four times. In the league matches against Sheffield Wednesday and West Brom, I don’t think he did anything improper. We are aware that he is a competent goalie in the Championship and that he would be in League One, but he is also getting older and not the greatest foot player. I would let Etheridge to go and pursue his career in another direction.

“I don’t think Neil Etheridge would want to spend the rest of his career backing up somewhere,” said BD. Now that he is 34, he probably wants to play football on the first team. That one makes a lot more sense. You want the Blues to have a younger goalkeeper as well, should they decide to maintain Ruddy. It is imperative that they go and find someone.

“I would prefer the top goalie to be a long-term starter rather than a backup. For a fair number of years now, the Blues have needed to locate a permanent goalie. In the lower divisions, there are some decent ones. I hope they are able to send out scouting reports and return with a few.

Marc Roberts

AD: “He’s been available a lot and has played 196 games for the Blues, although the number of games each season has decreased over the last two seasons.” In addition to playing two cup games this year, he participated in 25 league games last year and has suffered three different calf ailments this season. With the lack of center backs for the Blues in March, he heroically persevered through one of those calf problems. He’s nearing the end of his playing days and likely has one more contract left, but I’m not sure it should be with the Blues. He will definitely help a League One team, in my opinion.

“The team will require center backs who play in a more advanced manner if they intend to pursue that style of play. You want center backs, like Ipswich have had, who can perform well in League One and then carry over that manner into the Championship if the team is to hopefully win promotion. If you retain Marc Roberts on your team, I don’t think you’re developing for the long run.

BD: “Availability is the best ability, in my opinion. This season, he has missed three periods due to injury, and he missed two periods of the previous season as well. He missed a good two months of the entire season of John Eustace. Consistent defensive combinations are essential in central defense.

“That’s not to argue that Marc Roberts lacks qualities that would make him a valuable addition to League One or even the Championship. For the most part of the season, I believe they lacked his aerial presence. I don’t agree with Marc Roberts’ detractors at all; I believe he has performed admirably for the team. I admire him for taking a more team-oriented contract to continue on when his large contract was about to expire. Regretfully, Robbo’s injuries are beginning to mount up, and I believe it’s time for them both to go on.

Marc Roberts captained Birmingham City to victory against Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday — On Tuesday, Marc Roberts led Birmingham City to victory over Blackburn Rovers.

**Gary Gardner**

AD: “He hasn’t played a lot of football in the last two seasons and hardly played last season.” He had a lot of injury issues in 22–23, and I recall that throughout the preseason while he was in Spain, he was working hard by himself apart from the team. During the preseason, he did not play. The important thing to remember is that he was available for most of, if not all of, the previous season. In all competitions, he was on the squad more than forty times.

BD: “We mentioned at the top that relegation might alter some of our expectations for what might occur, and Gary Gardner is an example of that. He only appeared in 10 games the previous season due to injury, and although he hasn’t played much this season, he was a member of 41 championship squads, which gives me hope that he has overcome his fitness concerns. Due to the Blues’ apparent improved health and the fact that they will be playing some physically demanding matches, I’m leaning toward yes, as opposed to not two weeks ago.

“I think it important to some extent that he is a Blues fan and has a connection to the team, without getting too clingy. That’s not me saying bring in any Blues fan and provide them a contract, a shirt, and some boots. It’s simply one more arrow in Gardner’s quiver. Therefore, I would make a bargain with him.

AD: “In the latter few weeks of the season, Gary Rowett lauded Gary Gardner and mentioned what a fantastic character he is to have about the place.” Gardner was warming up the team prior to the Coventry match.We’ve talked about losing John Ruddy, but I don’t think we can eliminate all of the team’s strong leaders and moral individuals. In League One, he might be a valuable asset. He might be useful in specific games and as a way to end them, but I don’t think he’ll be a 40-game player or a starting midfielder. Now that the team is in League One, I support giving Gary Gardner a full season.

**Sunjic Ivan**

BD: “I’ve been thinking for a number of months that Sunjic should move on. He’s not provided an explanation for the cost. He is not at responsible for the cost. Under Rowett, he has been among the better performers and has contributed part of what was required. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sunjic decided to stay in League One if the new Blues’ focus is on ball retention. For me, this is not a challenging one.

AD: “One of the worst examples of a transition from the previous government is Sunjic. You could never blame his dedication or effort, but I believe a lot of fans would concur that it’s time to move on. He clearly understood his future did not lie at Blues even in the final four games of the season, but he gave it everything he had and it was evident how much winning against Coventry meant to him.

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Keshi Anderson

AD: “He played a lot and had a good start. He admitted to himself that he played a little too much in the beginning and that he ought to have told John Eustace that he needed a vacation. He had seldom played during the previous season. He missed three months of action due to a hamstring injury at the end of September.

The players Mowbray was utilizing included Anderson, who wasn’t at the top of his priority list. Mowbray was prepared to let Anderson leave at the end of January in order to perhaps bring someone else in, but that didn’t work out. After suffering yet another injury, Anderson was able to regain his spot under Gary Rowett just before the season ended. Between starts in the Championship, Anderson waited six months.

When he played in the last four, I was really impressed. We’ve mentioned his intelligence all season long. More than any other Blues winger, he is a versatile player who can defend the left side. I believe the Blues may entice Anderson to sign a term in League One. They could talk to him about something other instead of having to take that course of action. Yes, I would. In League One, Anderson would be a formidable player.

BD: “I concur with that. It’s crucial to remember to be tactically flexible. If there is one thing that criticizes Anderson—and we have both mentioned this before—it is his dearth of assists and goals. He only had two assists in 24 games, and he doesn’t appear to be a natural finisher. Nevertheless, I believe he would be useful in League One.

Hogan Scott

BD: “Since the World Cup break in November 2022, we’ve been adding up the goals—three to date. He scored twice this season after missing a penalty in that strange comeback against Swansea towards the close of the previous campaign. In the little opportunities Rowett offered him toward the end of the season, when Blues were desperate for a striker, he just didn’t seem to be able to make an impact. Perhaps this isn’t his fault.

AD: “My main grievance with Hogan is…” At the beginning of the season, Eustace used him a lot. It was then evident that Rooney didn’t want him, but Mowbray started him and provided him opportunities. Hogan wasn’t in squads at the end of the season, despite Rowett’s apparent willingness to work with him. He had the chance to cap up his Blues career in style rather than secure a new contract. Nothing will grieve me, I believe, if he leaves the Blues.

Jutkiewicz Lukas

BD: “I’m not hiding the fact that I think he’s a great player and like a bloke. I appreciate that he has conducted some pretty tough interviews when the Blues have lost. I admire him for trying something new at the end of the season and sticking himself together with glue and gaffer tape.

“League One is where I would retain him.” Not as a game-starter every time, but as a defender of the principles, a creator of norms, and a valuable player who can come in off the bench or start when the circumstances call for it. It is not wise to throw away Jutkiewicz’s possessions carelessly.

AD: “The Championship and League One are two separate games.” Teams who press as hard as the Blues will be hard to come by, and you would think they would have a lot of possession. If Blues could get the ball wide and create crosses, that would play to Jutkiewicz’s skills.

“I would like to discuss Jutkiewicz’s injury history with him. With the exception of this season’s injury layoff, he has virtually always been accessible in his eight seasons here. If Jutkiewicz had been available, I do believe the Blues would have fared better in the closing weeks of the season, and I also believe Rowett would have looked to start him in some of those games. In League One, I would give him a more year. He would be useful, in my opinion, if there is a striking quartet. It would be wonderful if he helped the Blues win the championship as his Blues tale came to a close.

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