So what have we learned from the pre-season tour?
Jul 25th, 2010 | By KevB8ll | Category: Articles by Jaymeetee, Blues NewsHere is a 1st article from a recent new follower on twitter to @joysandsorrows. Jamie said he would like to do the odd article, so here’s his 1st one his topic being our tour to the Far East. Follow Jamie on twitter @Jaymeetee.
Well Alex McLeish today insists only time will tell whether the tour has been a success but from what I have seen I think it has achieved exactly what it set out to.
I am guessing that the board and the management would have set out with different objectives for the tour but I think both will be happy when they touch down in England on Wednesday. The board obviously saw this as a great commercial opportunity to gather PR and the sponsorship that will hopefully follow. Yes we are not a Man United leaving the far east but we certainly aren’t Accrington Stanley (who are they? Exactly) either. The interest has been there from the people of China and Hong Kong and I’m sure attention that to some players it’s been a totally new experience and will hopefully have them wanting more. A TV advert was even filmed with Zigic, Roger Johnson, Michel and Ben Foster and various kit launches and public appearances have hopefully raised the profile of the club.
However it should of course mainly be about the football. 3 games against a varying quality of opponent has brought 3 wins and 3 trophies (someone find the rusty keys to the St Andrews trophy cabinet quick) but I’m sure the whole experience will have been a great bonding opportunity for the squad. Staying together in the hotels, travelling together as well as training and playing together will really bring the guys close. Last season’s success was built on a really tight knit squad who would battle for each other to the death, being away for these few weeks all together will hopefully have bedded in the new boys and only made the bond stronger in the squad. The training in the hot, humid conditions will be great for fitness levels and yes the travelling will have been a slight drawback but I firmly believe the squad will come back together and raring to go for the start of the season. Of course its not just the players that will have benefitted from being away together, Peter Grant the new coach has also had the opportunity to get to know his new work mates and the players all together on this tour too.
So as they pack their bags in China and head to the airport already planning the next workout against Derby on Saturday, I firmly believe its job done on numerous levels. Can Mr Yeung get his hands in his pockets though? No, not for any new players, we need to pay the excess baggage for the 3 trophies!
Jaymeetee
Heard good things about this valles we signed on a free also which is a bonus.
Also looking forward to jerome zigic partnership!
great piece jaymeetee and im 100% sure that it has lifted moral even more within the ranks and with that a few more signings upon there return and the main contract of big ecks contract extention im so looking foward to the new season valles,michel and gardner have looked great along side all the other great players we have and the fantastic togetherness we have i think overall the trip was a fantastic success in everyway i think valles will become a superstar at blues really if we can keep him
A very good first article, Jamie and the first of many more I hope!
Indeed, the China/HK tour has served to really raise our profile in the owner’s homeland and that can only mean very good things. China is most certainly the next economic superpower and if we could tap into even 0.01% of that financial backing, we would certainly be on course for a long and successful footballing future.
Carson Yeung is attempting to establish ‘brand Birmingham’ globally and the success of the tour will no doubt fill him with confidence. However, the truth remains that Birmingham have been an unfashionable club for a long time and changes to the perceptions that people have of the club are only brought about by our ability to remain in the Premiere League and to be successful. At the moment we are in a strong marketable position based on our membership in the world’s greatest domestic football competition. If Mr Yeung is honest in his desire to turn Birmingham into a successful, globally popular club (and I believe he is) he will continue to invest in the team. Which is why signing McLeish could be the most important signing of the summer. Who better to trust in the transfer market, he is frugal, refusing to pay over the odds for players and he has a great eye for quality. Dembele and Clyne could make all the difference if McLeish is backed by the board in the next couple of weeks and talk of Hleb being offered on a plate by Barcelona is intriguing.
The tour was certainly more about marketing than football and perhaps we will be given a more measurable assessment of the squad against Derby on Saturday.
Bring on the new season!
JazzleMcDazzle