Hi All,
Not sure if you're interested in the opinions of a Birmingham fan but I have been reading this thread with interest in recent days and thought I'd chuck in my $0.02.
Some random thoughts:
1) Savage:
There's no doubt that he'll be gone before the end of the transfer window. Sullivan/Brady can be very obdurate but they are not stupid - there is no point having an asset taking 25k/week out of the club and diminishing in value between now and the summer. However (and rightly in my opinion), they want to have a bit of fun in the meantime and make something of a fool of Savage. As a fan I feel very let down by the way he has manipulated the club through the media. Players want transfers - it happens all the time - but there are ways and means of securing them that don't involve concocting tales of parental illnesses
2) Our board:
There seems to be some disdain for them on this site and I can understand that. Some of their hyperbole about the Blackburn bid has been unnecessary, especially as it's structurally not dissimilar to what we initially offered for Dunny. That said, they have been superb for Birmingham and I think they are trying to protect the club's interests and (largely speaking) do the right thing. There's a long history of chatter, press release, chatter, press release, chatter, transfer between Williams/Brady and until recently I had believed this would follow the same pattern. However the prevailing consensus in Birmingham is that our board are so infuriated with Bowen's "tapping up" of Savage that we'd rather sell him to anyone else...so Everton could be a likely destination. Interesting week ahead in any case
3) David Dunn
What a footballer! Ask any Birmingham fan and they'd tell you he's our best player by a million miles. Playing in a free role (nominally on the left side of midfield), he has been devestatingly effective when fit. And there's the rub; for the lad's sake I hope a solution is found to his hamstring problems. Whatever the thoughts on Dunny, the Premier League is a better place when he is playing. His skill, touch, vision and effervescence mean he could be one of the best players ever to have played for Birmingham. Fingers crossed that like Owen and Giggs he can get over his hamstring problems
4) Damien Johnson
Incredibly hard working, Bruce's favourite player (never, ever misses a game) but seems to have lost the ability to beat a man around the outside. When I first saw him at Blackburn, he had the ability to drop his shoulder and beat a man...seems to have lost that now. However he does add something with his work-rate and tenacity. Long term my view is that right back is his position, rather than on the wing
5) Martin Taylor
Has barely played. Cunningham and Upson are very good and he's struggled to get past them. He came in at right back for a while last season and was poor, although in the couple of games he played at centre-half he looked composed and distributed the ball well. Too early to judge, although needs to win over the fans
Good luck for the rest of the season; like you I shall be watching the Savage saga unfold with interest!