Expert says Birmingham City project is ‘bigger’ than what he saw at Man City | OneFootball

Mike Rigg is now overseeing another major project as Blues look to reach the Premier League

One of the biggest stories across the EFL in recent times has been the ambition showcased by Birmingham City under the ownership of Knighthead Capital Management.

Back in July 2023, Tom Wagner acquired an initial controlling stake in Blues, who, for the best part of a decade, had stagnated in the Championship following their most recent Premier League stint, which ended 15 years ago.

Despite suffering a chaotic relegation to League One in his first season in the boardroom at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park, Wagner and his colleagues within the hierarchy have never shied away from spelling out their lofty long-term goals in this part of the West Midlands.

Almost two years ago, plans for a new stadium on the derelict Birmingham Wheels BMX track were mooted by the American in front of supporters at an 'open house' event, as part of a new redevelopment project.

That has since been dubbed the 'Sports Quarter', which will see the Bordesley Green area of East Birmingham transformed at an estimated cost of between £2-3bn.

In November, the design for the 'Powerhouse' stadium, which will house 62,000 spectators, was unveiled to the watching world, with Birmingham now hoping their on-pitch developments can eventually align with the board's vision.

After achieving a record-breaking first-time promotion as League One champions last term, Wagner has continued to back manager Chris Davies in the transfer market as Blues look to become a Championship force.

It remains to be seen if they are able to achieve back-to-back promotions through the play-offs this term, but the end goal is still very much the same.

And, according to the club's academy technical director, Mike Rigg, Knighthead's current vision surpasses what he saw from the Abu Dhabi Group, who acquired Manchester City in September 2008.

Mike Rigg makes 'scary' Birmingham City, Manchester City project comparisons

Rigg is currently overseeing the development of many youngsters in the Second City who are hoping to emulate the well-documented success story of current Real Madrid and England sensation, Jude Bellingham.

He was appointed in his current role back in April 2024, having previously worked with Burnley, Fulham, Queens Park Rangers, the Citizens and FA Wales over a lengthy career.

The 55-year-old held the position of technical director with Man City between 2008 and 2012, during a major transformation period in which the club were looking to build a new training ground.

The 'Etihad Campus', adjacent to the Etihad Stadium has since been built, with it costing £200m, although Rigg believes the training facilities that will compliment the 'Powerhouse' for Blues' Men's and Women's first-team squads and the academy setup, as well as further developments, make it a much larger-scale project.

At present, Davies' side train at EPIC in Henley-in-Arden, whilst the academy and Women's side both occupy the first-team's previous facility at Wast Hills in South Birmingham, now known as the Knighthead Performance Centre.

“I was at Manchester City when it was scarily similar to what we’re going through now," Rigg told Birmingham Live.

“Man City had Platt Lane, Carrington and the stadium. Platt Lane was the academy, Carrington was the first team, and the stadium was where the offices were. We’ve got EPIC, here (Knighthead Performance Centre) and the stadium.

“We had Jude (Bellingham), Jobe (Bellingham), JJ (Jordan James), they had Sean Wright-Phillips etc. Because I’ve been through both, this project is bigger," he stated.

“Man City were in the Premier League at the time, so it was a level above, but they weren’t building a stadium. They were talking about building a training ground. This is a bigger project.”

Birmingham City supporters will love Mike Rigg's Manchester City comparison

Of course, there is a long way to go for Blues to reach the same heights as the Citizens, who have won the Premier League title eight times since 2012 and have a UEFA Champions League to their name.

However, Bluenoses will certainly love Rigg's comparison, especially given the fact he was still part of the club when Sergio Aguero's last-gasp goal on the final day of the season kickstarted the aforementioned trophy-laden run under the management of Roberto Mancini, Manuel Pellegrini and Pep Guardiola.

At present, though, the clear aim is simply to regain the club's top-flight status for the first time in a generation, with developments at St. Andrew's certainly watched closely by those on the outside due to the hefty investment both on and off the pitch.