"I'll be surprised" - Birmingham City reaction issued as potential Chris Davies, Premier League interest mooted | OneFootball

Questions are starting to emerge about how long Blues can hold onto their manager before Premier League clubs come calling.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Following Birmingham City's immediate return to the Championship under the guidance of Chris Davies, questions are starting to emerge about how long Blues can hold onto their manager before Premier League clubs come calling.

Davies, who joined from Tottenham Hotspur last summer where he was senior assistant coach to Ange Postecoglou, has overseen a remarkable transformation at St. Andrew's, securing promotion in his first season in charge with a record points tally in League One.

Blues' return to the Championship comes after the club experienced relegation to the third tier for the first time in 30 years. The success under Davies has reinvigorated the fanbase, with 17,000 season tickets sold for the 2024/25 campaign, their best figure in a decade.

Chris Davies underestimated as a manager, even after smashing the record League One points tally

With the 2025/26 Championship campaign on the horizon, FLW's resident City fan pundit, Mike Gibbs, has shared his thoughts on whether Premier League clubs might soon be circling for the young manager who has impressed in his first managerial role.

"I think I'll be surprised if there was any form of rumours or anyone coming in to try and poach him this year," Mike told FLW.

"Whilst he's done an absolutely fantastic job, I think for a lot of people on the face of it, the amount of money spent, a lot of people would probably argue he's bought his way to the title - so I think his achievements will probably be a little bit underrated.

"I think if we have a strong season next year, for example if we were promoted next year or if we're to have a really strong season and get in the playoffs or pushing for the playoffs - a bit like what Kieran McKenna did when he was at Ipswich, I think people would come knocking then.

"I think there's no doubt he's an exceptional coach and even with the money that we spent, the set-up of the team, how we played, how he basically took a team that was a counter-attacking, low-block, low possession team and turn it into basically the opposite, deserves a lot of praise."

The comparison to Kieran McKenna is apt, with the former Ipswich manager having attracted significant attention from clubs like Tottenham and Manchester United following his success with the Tractor Boys - the Irishman demonstrated that Championship success can quickly translate to Premier League interest.

Despite the significant financial backing, Davies has done more than just spend money.

As Mike points out, the tactical transformation has been remarkable, with the Blues shifting from an 'anti-football' style to a more progressive approach that has proven highly effective in League One.

Blues will be raring to go in the Championship under Chris Davies

With Chairman Tom Wagner demonstrating serious ambition and financial muscle, Birmingham appear well-positioned to make an impact in the Championship next season.

If Davies can replicate his League One success at the next level, Premier League interest may indeed follow, but for now, Blues fans will be rest-assured knowing their young manager remains focused on the task at hand.

Similarly to McKenna, the situation bears similarities to that of Danny Rohl at Sheffield Wednesday, another highly-rated young manager.

Rohl is reportedly set to leave South Yorkshire and has been linked with moves elsewhere, showing how quickly reputations can be built in the EFL.

As the 2025/26 season approaches, all eyes will be on Davies to see if he can continue his upward trajectory in management and whether Birmingham City can retain his services in the face of potentially growing interest from above.

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