Nine years on from Steve Bruce’s departure, it still feels strange seeing him in the opposition dugout. Even more so when taking charge of our fiercest rivals. Something about him seemed to understand the essence of the Second City derby and how Birmingham City perceive themselves in relation to Aston Villa. As Blues manager he thrived on the underdog tag to deliver some rousing victories.
After guiding us back to the top flight in 2002, ending a 16-year exile, Bruce built on the club’s core of hardened professionals. Natural talent was in short supply, but character certainly wasn’t. Ahead of Villa’s visit to St. Andrew’s, Olof Mellberg made some ill-advised comments, claiming that he hadn’t heard of Blues before he moved to England and that he didn’t know who most of our players were.
Bruce seized on the chance to inspire his team, pinning the published article up in the dressing room. Nothing more needed to be said. Blues upset the odds to win 3-0 on a raucous night best remembered for Peter Enckelman’s infamous own goal. We again prevailed in the return fixture, proving that tenacity and spirit could be more than a match for Premier League pedigree.
As Blues manager, Bruce relished these occasions. He embraced our unfashionable status and the chance to turn the established hierarchy on its head, at least for 90 minutes. Now he’s on the other side of that same divide and the increased expectation has been tough to deal with. Taking over from Roberto di Matteo, he steered Villa to an unremarkable mid-table finish amidst some complaint and consternation.
He had one of the most expensively-assembled sides in Championship history at his disposal but Villa lacked a clear identity or style of play. Their away form was woeful and his signings did little to address the unbalanced nature of the squad he inherited. There were calls for Bruce to be sacked during a run of ten games without a win after the turn of the year. A stodgy start to the current season saw the pressure build again.
#PartOfThePride #AVFC
Having won five of their last six matches, Villa are currently in the play-off places, although a humbling defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers showed they still have a long way to go. Chief goal threat Jonathan Kodjia has made a welcome return from injury and is easing his way back, while Conor Hourihane and Keinan Davis have come in from the fringes to take up the slack. Both have made notable contributions in recent weeks.
Although far from perfect, Villa are in a much better state than their rivals. Blues invested heavily over the summer with the aim of challenging for promotion but Harry Redknapp, the man responsible for that splurge, was sacked last month. Injuries have limited the impact of several new signings while momentum has been difficult build in this atmosphere of frustration and uncertainty.
After Lee Carsley’s three games in caretaker charge, which witnessed the extremes of a resolute 1-0 win and a shambolic 6-1 defeat, Steve Cotterill was recruited as the owners’ fourth manager in just over a year. As assistant to Redknapp at the end of last season, he established a good rapport with the players and has been working them hard on the training ground. Amends are being made for a lax pre-season.
The effect was clear to see in the breathless intensity that helped to secure victory over Cardiff, who were then top of the table, in Cotterill’s first game. The performance was in stark contrast to what went before. Just as many thought that a corner had been turned, a strangely flat and listless showing followed against Millwall last week. Blues rarely threatened and were deservedly beaten.
It’s difficult to know which Birmingham side will turn up on Sunday. The extra motivation of a derby match and a big home crowd should spur them on. Precariously positioned just above the relegation zone, they shouldn’t need much more incentive. After choosing the same starting line-up in the last two games, prioritising work ethic over technical quality on both occasions, Cotterill’s selection could have a major bearing on the outcome.
