‘Big Difference’ – Birmingham City Star Admits Adaptation Need | OneFootball

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Birmingham City winger Demarai Gray has admitted he is still adapting to the intensity of football in the Championship after a two-year spell in Saudi Arabia.

Gray provided two assists as Blues comfortably beat Norwich City 4-1 at home in the Championship earlier this month.

The 29-year-old returned to Birmingham City joining on a free transfer at the start of the season having played at Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq for the last two years.

Gray played under Steven Gerrard in Saudi Arabia and football in the Kingdom is hugely different to the frantic nature of the Championship.

The winger admits he has had to work on his fitness since returning to English football, as he bids to get up to speed.

Gray played club football outside of Europe for the first time in his career at Al-Ettifaq and has admitted that he is still adapting to the intensity of football back in England, after that spell.

“I felt decent [against Norwich]; over the last few weeks, not as sharp, but it is a long season”, Gray told Birmingham City’s in-house media (2:35).

“I am still adapting back to this intensity of football, obviously having played away for a few years.”

The winger claimed his body is coping well with the big difference in intensity between the Championship and Saudi Pro League though.

“The difference in intensity is a big difference, so I think my body has been coping well.”

The Jamaica international graduated from Birmingham City’s academy, making his first team debut at the age of 17 and had spells at Leicester City, Bayer Leverkusen, Everton and Al-Ettifaq before rejoining his childhood club for a second spell in the 2025 summer transfer window.

Gray will look to adapt to the increasing intensity of the long and busy Championship season as Birmingham push for promotion to the Premier League.