Replacements considered with Birmingham set to sack their manager

Replacements are reportedly being considered with Birmingham City set to sack their manager as they face a relegation battle.

The club’s owners are said to be ready in sacking Aitor Karanka after their dreadful run of form continued, TEAMtalk have first revealed.

The former Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest boss came into the club in the summer, signing a deal to 2023. He has been well backed in the transfer market by the Chinese hierarchy, however he’s failed to light up the season.

A run of one win in 14 games has left the Blues second from bottom and in real danger of dropping down to League One for the first time since 1995.

Talk is that Karanka’s position has been under review for a number of weeks and following their result, a 2-0 defeat against Millwall, the club are looking at bringing an end to his tenure and are looking at options to succeed him.

One big issue is that Karanka has two years left on a deal which also includes a sizeable backroom staff, who would also likely exit.

However, a run of one win in 14 games leaves Blues second from bottom in the Championship table and in real danger of relegation.

Karanka spoke of his struggles at St Andrew’s in an interview with The Times last month.

He claimed being sacked was not in his thinking and he was determined to reverse their run of poor form.

“My first message to fans is ‘Keep Right On’,” Karanka says of the supporters’ own hymn to resilience.

“My second one is Keep Right Calm. I know it’s tough, but if anybody thinks I’ll just give a lot of excuses about ‘I don’t have money’ and we’re losing games and I’m going to come to my office just to sit in my chair waiting to get sacked, take my money and go home, they don’t know Aitor Karanka.

“I’m going to be here fighting until the last second. I hope this last second will be three, four, five years’ time when we are successful and in the place that the club deserves. So Keep Right Calm.”

Aitor Karanka insists he does not worry about becoming the latest Championship manager to lose his job.

Karanka says he does not pay attention to such issues: “No, the only thing I can control is my work, the other things are not under my control and I cannot say anything,” he said.

“When I came here I knew it was going to be a challenge, I didn’t imagine it was going to be so difficult.

“But I left my house when I was 15 and every single thing I have achieved was by working hard and when things weren’t going so well – even harder.

“Without belief it is impossible to keep the players believing. I believe in the work that I am doing, the players have shown me every day – the last game against Luton I was not happy – but the rest of the games we have to keep going together and keep believing together.

“It is difficult to convince them [the fans] but I left home when I was 15-years-old and the only way I have achieved what I have achieved is with work. I am here, I am finding a lot of difficulties and I have to keep working.”

Fans reacted with Birmingham set to sack their manager…

@Greekbluenose: I desperately wanted Karanka to succeed & genuinely thought he was the best manager we could get. He’s proved to be huge disappointment. Cautious, negative & uninspiring. Literally zero signs of any progress. Each additional game he stays on in charge is the sacrifice of 3 points

@Alanfrancis2812: Only three months too late.

@matt_bcfc4: If he’s sacked, I’d be looking at Lee Bowyer again definitely the type of personality we need in the dressing room

@PRH0121: If there is any justice left on the world. please let this be true

@Josh_Butler20: What I love to seee

@jackparkerUK: hope this is true, really wanted it to work with Karanka but enough is enough

@Quinnlar88: Please 🙏🏻 For the first time ever I switched off watching us last night. It used to be fun even when we’ve been shit before. There was always that bit of hope somewhere but I can’t see it coming unfortunately. #bcfc

@clintyboyblue: Im not suprised, its a risk of keeping Karanka they cannot afford, heaven knows who’ll they’ll appoint though but has to be implemented before relegation is impossible to avoid #kro #bcfc #KarankaOut

@MRMAXBRADLEY_: Surely a pulis type figure. We’re only 1 point off safety and relegation would be a disaster for the club. Have to do anything we can to stay in this division.

@TheGJRichards: Looks like it could be happening #BCFC #KRO