Lee Bowyer believes that the Birmingham City owners are aware of his desire for steady progress in the Championship.

What's been said?

In a recent interview, the Blues boss insisted that the club's Trillion Trophy Asia owners accept the fact that progress under him will be steady rather than spectacular ahead of his first full season in charge at St. Andrew's, as the 44-year-old looks to gradually rebuild his Birmingham City squad this summer.

As cited by Birmingham Live, Bowyer said: "I think they recognise what has happened at the club the last few years and what position – taking this year out obviously, being in relegation battles for the last few years.

"They recognise it's not that simple, it's like a stepping stone. You have to build slowly but surely and that's what I intend to do. I am not going to go now from 15th or 16th and then climb into the top six. It is going to be very difficult.

"If we can just maybe next season get mid-table then progress from there, that's my aim – just stay away from that relegation fight. Then you move from there.

"Then it might be 'OK we might invest a little bit more'. Looking to the future they might then think 'We'll invest a little bit more' and then we might have a push and try and get in and around those play-off places.

"You have got to become stable, haven't you? I think we have got to stabilise the place because to keep having those relegation fights is not good. If we can stabilise and just finish higher each season then you are moving in the right direction as a club."

Fans will be buzzing

As Bowyer states, the last few years have not particularly been a highlight of Birmingham's illustrious history as a football club.

Having circled the Championship relegation zone in the past five seasons - finishing 19th, 19th, 17th, 20th and 18th in chronological order - it is clear that the Blues have lacked any real tactical direction under a variety of different managers.

Off the pitch, too, Birmingham's owners have largely bought unwisely in the transfer market, spending a total of £43.62m in the last five seasons on incoming players - money that, considering the league finishes, has brought very little reward.

As a result of their spending on transfer fees and player wages, the club's owners also were found guilty of breaking the EFL's Financial Fair Play rules back in 2019, with Birmingham receiving a nine-point deduction, as well as having a business plan imposed on them by the league's governing body.

As such, Bowyer's comments revealing that Trillion Trophy Asia are content with him building the club back up slowly in order to eventually mount a push for a play-off place is likely to leave fans of the Blues buzzing, as, for the first time in a good while, it appears as if the club has a manager with a sustainable plan for Birmingham's long-term future - rather than one chasing immediate glory, and he's set to be allowed to carry out that plan by the board.

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