Darren Purse could return to Birmingham City - Mark Cooper also in race | OneFootball

Birmingham City are searching for a new U21 coach

Birmingham City are in the mix for a play-off place this season after gaining promotion to the Championship last year.

Chris Davies’ side won the League One title at the first attempt, earning a record-breaking 111 points in the process.

The ambitious owners of the Midlands outfit are aiming to oversee promotion back to the Premier League, with the club looking to end a 15-year spell outside of the top flight.

Birmingham were relegated to the Championship in 2011, months after their EFL Cup win, and have only made it into the play-offs once in the time since.

The Blues are now in the mix for a top six finish this season, but they will need a strong run of form to end the term in order to bridge the gap to the top six.

Davies’ side are still behind the likes of Southampton and Wrexham in the race for promotion to the Premier League.

Birmingham eye possible Darren Purse return

According to Birmingham Live, former defender Darren Purse is being considered for a return to the club.

The Blues are reportedly eyeing the 49-year-old as an option to take over the U21 side, as they look to fill the vacancy in the position.

Mark Kennedy previously held the role, but he departed the Championship team last month after only eight months at the club, and he has yet to be replaced.

Purse is seen as one of the potential options, with the defender previously spending six years at St. Andrew’s from 1998 to 2004.

The 49-year-old made 200 appearances for Birmingham in that time, including playing 29 times in the Premier League in 2002/03 and 2003/04, helping the Midlands outfit finish 13th and 10th.

However, it was also reported previously by Football Insider that ex-Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper is also under consideration for the role.

No final decision has yet been made one month on from Kennedy’s departure, with Birmingham citing personal reasons for his departure.

Birmingham are set to return to action this evening in a big game in the promotion battle in the Championship.

The Blues will host second place Middlesbrough at St. Andrew’s in an 8pm kick-off, where a win could move the hosts in eighth place.

Davies’ side will face Charlton Athletic at the Valley on 7 March in their follow-up fixture, with the sides set to meet in a 3pm kick-off.

Darren Purse return could work well for Birmingham

Purse has worked as a coach at underage level for Cardiff City in recent years, and the Welsh outfit have produced a lot of exciting young talent in that time such as Cian Ashford, Ronan Kpakio, Dylan Lawlor, the Colwill brothers (Rubin and Joel) and more.

Indeed, the Bluebirds' squad is spearheaded by youthful academy products who have fired the Welsh side to within touching distance of promotion back to the Championship.

So it’s not too surprising that Birmingham are eyeing a move for the former defender, and bringing him back to St. Andrew’s could work quite well.

The Blues have invested a lot in the club, and their academy system has done a great job of bringing through first team talent over the years, most notably Jude Bellingham, so bringing in a well regarded coach would be a positive step.

That he already has a connection with the club will only help in any possible transition into the role, and fans will surely welcome him back as a part of the backroom team.