How Birmingham City feel about Lee Carsley replacing Chris Davies at St Andrew’s | OneFootball

Chris Davies' position at Birmingham City is under increasing threat

Birmingham City have not been able to sustain a promotion challenge in their first year back in the Championship.

The Blues gained promotion last year at the first attempt after suffering relegation to League One in 2024.

Chris Davies oversaw a historic 111 point campaign in which the club also won the third division title on their way back to the second tier.

The Midlands outfit have grand ambitions to gain their place back in the Premier League, having not competed at that level since 2011.

But a difficult run of form in the second half of the campaign has led to intense scrutiny on Davies’ position as head coach.

Birmingham are effectively out of the running for a play-off place with five games still to play, while fellow promoted side Wrexham are just two points behind sixth place Southampton.

Birmingham City identify Chris Davies replacement

According to Football Insider, Lee Carsley has been identified by director of football Craig Gardner as a leading contender to replace Davies.

The England U21 manager has reportedly warmed to the idea of returning to St. Andrew’s, where he previously worked as an assistant.

The 52-year-old has been linked with a number of jobs in recent years following his success at underage level with the Football Association.

It’s understood that he previously turned down the opportunity to take over at Birmingham, but that he is now more open to the idea as he considers a move into club management.

The Blues have yet to make an official decision on the future of Davies, but he is under increasing pressure, and a change could come in the next few weeks, with the campaign set to end on 2 May.

Gardner’s position is also believed to be in danger, with Carsley considered a close ally to the former midfielder.

Birmingham are 16th in the Championship table, 13 points adrift of the top six with just five games remaining.

Davies was hired in the summer of 2024, making the move from his coaching position under Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur.

This was his first role as the head coach at a club, and he has now overseen two league campaigns.

However, his four year deal may be cut short in the summer following this disappointing return to the second division.

Next up for Birmingham is a home clash against Wrexham on 12 April in a 12pm kick-off.

Chris Davies’ going at the end of the season looks inevitable

Davies has overseen one win in Birmingham’s last eight games, and that kind of form will put most managers under pressure at this level.

Given the Blues’ ambitions to return to the Premier League under Knighthead Capital, this has been a very underwhelming first year back in the Championship.

Carsley hasn’t worked at club level since he left his role at Birmingham as an assistant coach in March 2018, so it would be a risk to bring him on that basis.

However, he’s shown that he is an excellent coach in working with talented young players, and adapting to what he’s got available to him, which might make him a good fit for St. Andrew’s, particularly as he will also want to play an attractive brand of attacking football as well.