With all due respect...David Dunn is by a mile our "best player". Then Upson, then Heskey, then Cunningham. Savage was a big player for us, but let's not overstate the case.

Here's something that Blues fans and Rovers fans can all agree to laugh about. Apparently Alex McLeish is thinking about buying Martin Taylor as a replacement for Jean-Alain Boumsoung!

Morning all. Word on the grapevine in Birmingham - from a local radio guy that's close to the club and tends to get his facts right - is that Blues and Blackburn are very close to agreeing a fee. Prewsumably the Gravesen to Real deal means it's in Blackburn's interests to get this moving too since Everton could scupper the deal. Hopefully, this whole sorry saga is drawing to a close.

Without getting caught in a slanging match: - Sullivan is publically quoted as saying Savage has mentioned that Rovers have offered him 12k/week more than his current contract. Could be an exaggeration, but that's the source of his annoyance - My view (*and this is purely personal and cannot be substantiated with quotes before anyone asks ), based on every interview I have seen/heard with Savage in the last 3 years, is that he is one of the most avaricious people I have ever seen, even by football's standards. Money is practically an obsession with him, and while you can't fault him for taking what has been offered during his career, I am certain that he would not move if not being offered a pay rise. Working with Bowen and Hughes will be a collateral benefit, but no doubt money is at the core. As and when he signs for Blackburn, I'm sure you'll start to note this side of his character

That's their job though right? Their interests are to protect Birmingham, just as John Williams protects Blackburn. This is clearly about cash btw - Savage has been offered a lot more money to sign for Blackburn, and while I think Sullivan's tourettish outburst in the mirror today is unnecessary, I think he's simply vocalising the frustration that every Birmingham fan is feeling with Savage. I'd like the whole sorry saga to be over, preferably with him signing for Blackburn next week, although I still think Everton may be lurking in the background (interestingly Savage's wife, Sara, originates from Merseyside I believe). One thing that hasn't been discussed much is the possibility of a swap deal. How about you give us 1 million + David Thompson? Or Alternatively a straight swap for Brett Emerton? Both would be fair deals I think. Wonder whether Hughes and Bruce will discuss such alternatives.

Interesting re DJ - guess some things never change. thenodrug - have to disagree re Mikael Forssell. Check out the following URL: http://www.blues.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News...~609947,00.html ...where the Fors pretty clearly indicates (in so many words) that he'll be back when he's fit. The agreement between Birmingham and Chelsea was that either side could apply a break to the year's loan in January. We're simply exercising that option as (a) he won't be fit this season (or at least not match fit) and ( Chelsea have better medical facilities so they want him to do his rehab there anyway The relationship between Birmingham and Chelsea, and between Birmingham and Forssell, is actually exceptionally strong. It's a done deal that he'll be back (and this time permanently I would think) at the start of next season. Hopefully by then Dunny will be fully fit and laying on the passes for Mikael to score from.

Hahaha...well selling Savage to V***a would surely put the cat amongst the pigeons although actually I think he's just the kind of player they need. I can't see it happening though. In reality we won't get much more that 2.5 million for him and I think that's a fair price. Personally I am no longer a fan of Savage as I think his inability to pass the ball is holding us back. However, he was outstanding for his first 18 months with Birmingham, and in Blackburn's position (new manager trying to find his way, pattern of play still emerging) I think he'd be an excellent signing. Plus points: phenomenal energy, talismanic impact on club as a whole, good free kicks, strong running, when on form there are few better in his role Minus points: Extremely poor passer (defaults to hoofing it), egocentric, will leave you like a shot if you get relegated (albeit I think that's unlikely), plus players of his ilk have a limited shelf life after 30/31. Regarding Bowen, the genesis of his dispute with Bruce is that he approached the board direct for a new contract without going via Bruce. It degenerated from there and he eventually left for Ewood Park.

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!