Derby County must love Birmingham City’s Tom Wagner for one key reason | OneFootball

Blues' decision to sack John Eustace in 2023 has proved crucial for Derby County, and they are loving life with their boss.

In October 2023, Birmingham City were sat sixth in the Championship. A 3-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion was enough to see the team rise into the play-off places under John Eustace, and the mood at St. Andrew's seemed excellent.

However, under the surface, there was a growing discontent with the club's head coach.

Tom Wagner and the Knighthead group were just a few months into their tenure as owners of the West Midlands outfit, and they were looking to make their mark on a club who had been stuck in the Championship for over a decade.

Meanwhile, in League One, Derby County had suffered a difficult start to their League One campaign under Paul Warne, and while they would eventually find consistency and win promotion back to the second tier, the current MK Dons boss would lose his job just 16 months later.

Nevertheless, a moment that Wagner would go on to regret has now played into the Rams' hands, and they will be extremely thankful to Birmingham for the decision taken two-and-a-half years ago.

Birmingham City made a major mistake by sacking John Eustace in 2023

After that 3-1 victory over the Baggies in October 2023, Eustace was sacked by Blues. The reason cited for his departure was his failure to play 'no fear' football, and Wayne Rooney was brought in to take charge of the club in a major change in style.

In a statement from the club's website, Birmingham said (via: bcfc.com): "A new first-team manager will be announced in the coming days who will be responsible for creating an identity and clear 'no fear' playing style that all Birmingham City teams will adopt and embrace.

"It is essential that the board of directors and the football management are fully aligned on the importance of implementing a winning mentality and a culture of ambition across the entire football club."

Rooney had been relegated to League One with Derby in 2021/22, although his former club were deducted 21 points that season and had only just missed out on survival. However, he failed massively at St. Andrew's. In his 15 games in charge, he won only twice, and picked up just 10 points as Birmingham tumbled down the table.

They were eventually relegated to the third tier, with Tony Mowbray and Gary Rowett unable to stop the inevitable, as Eustace went to Blackburn Rovers, and he kept the Lancashire side in the division on the final day of the season.

John Eustace and Derby County have had the last laugh over Birmingham City

After a difficult period in the Championship in 2024/25, the Rams made a bid to bring their former midfielder back to the club as their new head coach in February 2025, and poached the 46-year-old from Blackburn. Like he did at Ewood Park, Eustace avoided relegation with Derby, and he has helped rebuild the club this season.

The East Midlands outfit are now battling for a play-off place in the Championship, and his side has a seven-point gap over Birmingham following their 1-0 victory over Blues at Pride Park on Saturday afternoon.

It was a day to forget for his former club, and there is no denying that Derby and Eustace have had the last laugh, 18 months after he was sacked by Wagner.

Knighthead now have a huge decision to make regarding Chris Davies, and they may be looking for a new manager this summer, while their ex-head coach may be planning for a Premier League campaign.

The Rams are building something special with Eustace at the helm, and he looks settled under David Clowes, an owner who he has trusted to take the team back to the top flight after 18 years away.