Reports suggest Craig Gardner's time as Birmingham City director of football could be coming to an end. When Craig Gardner was handed the keys to Birmingham City's crumbling castle nearly five years ago, the appointment was met with incredulity. The former Blues player and coach seemingly had no experience to merit being made technical director of a then Championship club and seemed to be just another ill-judged move by the previous owners.
The Gardner Era: An Overview
For all the external noise, Gardner was serious about the role and threw himself into it, quickly talking about addressing Blues’ Financial Fair Play problems and adding assets to a squad traditionally filled with expensive players with more career behind them than in front. After initial interviews, followed up a few months later by a meeting with fan groups and media, Gardner has since been publicly silent. He has, though, continued his work behind the scenes and has in the past three years got to enjoy the largesse brought by Tom Wagner's takeover. He was also given the brief to add to his recruitment team, and there is now a data-driven team at Blues' training ground assessing potential recruits around the clock. Gardner would no doubt claim much of his time has been about so much more than transfers; indeed, he was instrumental in helping the takeover come to fruition. But it is that most high-profile of yardsticks by which he is most frequently measured. So we take a look at the 70-plus deals he has overseen during his 10 windows in the role and his hit ratio on those deals.
Early Signings: Mixed Results
Chuks Aneke (Charlton, free) – HIT: Never anything more than a bit part player but arrived to be reunited with Lee Bowyer before being sold for a profit a few months later. Even though there was little return in footballing terms, Aneke never looked cut out for the Championship; as a piece of business, it’s difficult to argue anything other than it was canny work from Gardner.
Jordan Graham (Gillingham, free) – HIT: Probably the best crosser of a ball during his two seasons at Blues, but his hope of playing as a winger ended as soon as it begun with Bowyer preferring a wing back system. Heavens knows Graham tried to apply himself to a role he’d turned his nose up at when he was with Wolves, but he was never able to convince either Bowyer or John Eustace he was worth a regular starting berth. Fifty-four appearances in two seasons isn’t a bad return on investment. It’d be harsh to characterise that as a miss.
Ryan Woods (Stoke, free) – MISS: A lot of hope was put in Woods being the key player to transform Blues into a more possession-based team, and for a few games the sand-wedge passes out to the full backs were pleasing to watch. However, as Blues’ lack of athleticism as a team began to cost them, so too Woods’ shortcomings were magnified. In the end, he only ended up playing one season for Blues – with diminishing results – before Eustace moved him on to Hull City.
Troy Deeney (Watford, free) – HIT: The dream was seductive. After a decade making good in the Premier League, the boyhood Blues fan returns home to fire his team to promotion. The dream was also wildly unrealistic. Deeney spent two seasons at Blues and was probably more surprised at how low standards had fallen that it wasn’t so much a case of being the final piece of the jigsaw as trying to put as many pieces together as possible. Unfortunately, his fitness troubles meant he wasn’t able to exert as much influence on the field as he wanted, and given the lofty hopes at the outset, it’s hard to feel things went as well as everyone intended. However, there was an improvement in standards off the pitch, and Deeney deserves credit for that.
Riley McGree (Charlotte, loan) – HIT: Gardner brought McGree back to the club after Aitor Karanka had largely ignored the Australian. It was only after injuries to other players forced Bowyer to pick the Australian that his true worth became apparent. Having played himself into form, suddenly other clubs wanted McGree, and Blues weren’t in a position to compete. Can’t view his time at Blues as a failure though.
Juan Castillo (Chelsea, loan) – MISS: The biggest swing and miss of the Gardner era. Bowyer barely gave him a chance, saying: “When he first came he was overweight, couldn’t run, broke down in the first week or two of preseason because he was out of shape.” He managed only three Championship appearances for Blues, and his loan was terminated in the next window.
Loan Successes and Permanent Gems
Tahith Chong (Man Utd, loan then permanent) – HIT: Came on loan and sparkled, tearing Luton to pieces in a remarkable display at Kenilworth Road and looking a cut above the rest of Bowyer’s slightly prosaic attackers. However, a training ground injury took out the middle third of his loan season. He returned on a permanent basis as a gift from prospective owners the following summer and acquitted himself well under Eustace. Maybe there should have been more goals and assists, but the fact Blues sold him for a profit and the fact he played pretty well make this a successful piece of business for the club.
Dion Sanderson (Wolves, loan then permanent) – HIT: His first loan was a success but cut short when Wolves recalled him, stuck him on their bench, and then farmed him out to work with John Eustace at QPR. His second lasted the whole of last season and was even better, and after his full transfer in the summer, he started writing himself the first few lines of what could be a very decent chapter in Blues’ recent history. Unfortunately, his form tailed off badly after Eustace's departure.
Matija Sarkic (Wolves, loan) – HIT: For a loan player to manage just half a season and still win player of the year, it must have been some half-season. Ten clean sheets in 23 games and a series of outstanding displays meant Sarkic’s time at Blues can be considered nothing other than a positive one.
Teden Mengi (Man Utd, loan) – HIT: Arrived when Dion Sanderson was recalled and slotted in well – only to break down with a hamstring injury. Mengi managed only ten games for Blues, but the reason it wasn’t more was nothing to do with Gardner.
Taylor Richards (Brighton, loan) – MISS: The attacker’s time at Blues was largely wasted. He was injured in his medical, which for some reason the club chose to obfuscate, and when he finally did get on the pitch after a couple of months, he looked rusty. Richards has got talent, but his body needs to allow him to show it.
Onel Hernandez (Norwich, loan) – HIT: Watching the Cuban fly down the left for Blues was exhilarating, especially when it came against a backdrop of a series of blunt attacking displays which preceded his arrival. As ever with wingers, it’s about end product, and Hernandez maybe could have done more – but he wasn’t helped by being shoehorned in at wing back, either.
Juninho Bacuna (Rangers, undisclosed) – HIT: By the time the Curacao international left, he was worth more than Blues paid for him. That’s progress. Bacuna frustrated with his tendency to dwell on the ball, but he also thrilled with his vision, ability to execute a pass, and score spectacular goals. If only there were more tap-ins. A good signing.
Lyle Taylor (Nottingham Forest, loan) – HIT: The striker, who now finds himself without a club, came in and scored the goals Blues needed at the time. One on debut – against your parent club’s rivals – never hurts, nor does a brilliant record from the penalty spot. It was fun while it lasted.
John Ruddy (Wolves, free) – HIT: A few eyebrows were raised when Blues brought Ruddy to St Andrew’s. His pedigree was undoubted, but after four years on the Wolves bench, one wondered if he still had it in him. He did. Ruddy was a success at Blues.
Manny Longelo (West Ham, loan then permanent) – MISS: It was up and down for Longelo at Blues, but if we’re deciding success or failure on value, the left-sided player arrived for a minimal lay-out. The former Hammer definitely has something, and Motherwell have benefitted from that since Blues let him go last year.
Przemyslaw Placheta (Norwich, loan) – MISS: Picked up a shin injury in the first few weeks which ended his time at Blues. Scored once, but St Andrew’s never saw what the Polish flier could have brought.
Auston Trusty (Arsenal, loan) – HIT: Came straight from the MLS season, and one wondered whether he’d be able to make the step up to the Championship. The American answered those questions very quickly and went on to have an outstanding campaign, with four goals and 48 appearances.
Krystian Bielik (Derby, loan then permanent) – HIT: No-one doubted Bielik’s quality; the concerns around him were his injury record. To be fair to Bielik, he answered those in the best way – by playing 37 times for the club and representing his country at the World Cup in his first season. Bielik's return on a full transfer looked a superb piece of business when he was the fulcrum of John Eustace's team, and he reinvented himself as a centre-back to good effect before departing for West Brom.
Hannibal Mejbri (Man Utd, loan) – HIT: The Tunisian arrived with the narrative of being a hothead but managed to control that side of himself for the most part whilst getting some valuable experience under his belt.
Kevin Long (Burnley, free) – HIT: Having spent more than a decade not playing that much for the Clarets, it was hardly surprising the Irishman looked off the pace in his first couple of games for Blues. However, as his match sharpness returned, so did his form, and Long became a regular in the side. Another good find from Gardner and one who should not have been allowed to leave when he did.
Reda Khadra (Brighton, loan) – HIT: Eustace might not have fully trusted the young German, but I’m going to put him down as a hit because of his goal threat. In a team that seemed reluctant to shoot from distance, the former Brighton youngster had no such fear.
Tyler Roberts (Leeds, undisclosed) – MISS: Roberts never really found fitness or form at Blues after joining from Leeds in the summer of 2023. He wasn't deemed reliable enough for Chris Davies and was allowed to leave after minimal minutes.
Ethan Laird (Man Utd, undisclosed) – HIT: Laird has the athleticism and technical ability to be a sensation at Blues. He was fantastic in League One but still has a bit to prove in the Championship.
Koji Miyoshi (Royal Antwerp, free) – HIT: You can certainly see why Blues took a gamble on a player who was on his way back from a serious knee injury. He played 48 games, scored seven goals, and provided six assists, although just one more might have made the difference in a season where he was one of few stand-outs.
Siriki Dembele (Bournemouth, undisclosed) – MISS: Had injury problems and difficulties earning the trust of his managers. Showed one or two moments of pure class though, but he clearly wasn't for Chris Davies.
Keshi Anderson (Blackpool, free) – HIT: Anderson battled back from injury issues in his first season to become a key player in League One. You can't argue with the return from a free transfer.
Lee Buchanan (Werder Bremen, undisclosed) – MISS: Could be the best left back Blues have had in some time. That was our feeling after his first season at the club, but Buchanan has barely played since due to injuries. Through no one's fault, this transfer hasn't completely worked to date.
Jay Stansfield (Fulham, loan then permanent) – HIT: Blues fell in love with Stansfield, and Gardner worked hard to bring him back to the club. Undoubtedly the biggest deal Gardner made, and it is undeniably a success.
Emanuel Aiwu (Cremonese, loan) – MISS: Aiwu really struggled in a team that struggled. A poor signing.
Oliver Burke (Werder Bremen, loan) – MISS: Never really understood why Blues brought him in. Still don't.
Cody Drameh (Leeds, loan) – HIT: Another close one, but given the ability to play on both sides, I'd have him down as a qualified success. Inexplicably left out towards the end of his loan.
Paik Seung-ho (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, free) – HIT: A well-rounded and technically gifted central midfielder who has shone in both League One and the Championship.
Andre Dozzell (QPR, loan) – MISS: Championed by Tony Mowbray – but not Gary Rowett nor many fans.
Alex Pritchard (Sunderland, undisclosed) – MISS: Might be a bit harsh to judge someone on nine games – relegation will do that.
Ryan Allsopp (Hull City, undisclosed) – HIT: It is difficult to argue that the signing of Allsop has been anything other than a success. He was the goalkeeper they needed in League One, and he’s a dependable back-up in the Championship. His quality in possession is unique, and he had admirers at Blues long before he joined.
Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Burnley, undisclosed) – MISS: In contrast, signing Bailey Peacock-Farrell to a four-year contract during the same summer proved a mistake by Blues. The Northern Ireland international didn’t compare to Allsop with the ball at his feet, and when he started making mistakes with his hands, Chris Davies had no choice but to change. One of several players Blues accepted a loss on and cut from their wage bill last January.
Christoph Klarer (Darmstadt, undisclosed) – HIT: Player of the Year awards in successive seasons where Klarer was virtually ever-present make him worthy of a 10. The Austrian has become Blues’ captain and lynchpin during that time, and everyone associated with his signing can give themselves a big pat on the back.
Ben Davies (Rangers, loan) – HIT: Davies joined as fourth choice centre-back when Blues were in League One but quickly climbed the pecking order to the point where he was Klarer’s undroppable partner. We might never find out the reason why Blues, Rangers, and Davies didn’t align last summer, but you can’t help but wonder what might have been had he returned.
Alfons Sampsted (FC Twente, undisclosed) – MISS: Another consummate professional, Sampsted carried himself so well during his Blues career and never let anyone down. The reality was that others were always ahead of Sampsted, and while he was fine in League One, Blues needed better in the Championship.
Alex Cochrane (Hearts, undisclosed) – HIT: Cochrane has been another dependable signing who has made the step up to the Championship. The left-back needs to improve again next season to fend off Kai Wagner’s challenge for his position.
Tomoki Iwata (Celtic, undisclosed) – HIT: Outstanding in League One and good enough in the Championship. Iwata’s first season at Blues was superb, and he was one of the team’s better performers in the Championship, showing his versatility to perform well at right-back and in midfield. Pound-for-pound one of the best deals Blues have made.
Marc Leonard (Brighton, undisclosed) – HIT: Another pretty good investment. Yes, Leonard didn’t start many games in the League One title-winning season, and he wasn’t a firm pick in the Championship for Davies either, but the fee Blues paid for him – under £500,000 – makes it a solid bit of business. Blues would probably have trebled that figure if they sold Leonard this summer, but any deal has been put on ice after the midfielder ruptured his Achilles.
Taylor Gardner-Hickman (Bristol City, loan then permanent) – HIT: Gardner-Hickman arrived with a better pedigree than Leonard and, reportedly for over £1m, so you have to wonder whether Blues will make a return on that now. Gardner-Hickman is young and competent in the Championship, and he did a solid job for Blues in League One.
Scott Wright (Rangers, undisclosed) – MISS: Wright has just had bad luck. He showed quality in League One in a season where he was limited to just 20 appearances. It probably isn’t going to happen for him at Blues now.
Emil Hansson (Heracles, undisclosed) – MISS: Blues were fooled by Hansson’s numbers in the Netherlands and soon learned the Swede wasn’t robust enough for English football. Hansson couldn’t convince Blackpool either, and Blues took the hit to offload him in January.
Ayumu Yokoyama (Sagan Tosu, undisclosed) – MISS: A project player who showed promise and physical characteristics that make wingers useful in England, but he never convinced Davies. He hasn’t broken through into Genk’s first team, which tells you it was a punt that went wrong.
Willum Willumsson (Go Ahead Eagles, undisclosed) – MISS: There were two months in League One where Willumsson was wonderful to watch. After that, there wasn’t much to write home about, and he certainly didn’t develop into the player Blues hoped he would be before being sold in January.
Luke Harris (Fulham, loan) – HIT: It’s no surprise that Harris played most of his football in League One last season. In a squad built for the Championship, Harris was one signed specifically for third tier squad depth. It was a short-term signing that served its purpose without exciting anyone.
Alfie May (Charlton, undisclosed) – HIT: Blues ruthlessly got every aspect of the May deal right. They stole him from under Huddersfield’s noses, flogged him for 58 games for a good return, then sold him to Huddersfield for a profit. It was a good bit of business.
Lyndon Dykes (QPR, undisclosed) – HIT: Dykes scored some enormous goals for Blues, and they paid very little to prise him away from Queens Park Rangers. The regret is that he wasn’t a more dominant centre-forward during his Blues career because that is what they needed him to be.
Grant Hanley (Norwich, free) – HIT: Hanley was an experienced body to fill a need for Blues in the middle of their League One title-winning season. It served its purpose.
Kieran Dowell (Rangers, loan) – HIT: Dowell, on the other hand, had a real impact on Blues’ season. He became the creative force in the team and registered 10 goal contributions in 23 appearances.
Lee Myung-jae (Ulsan HD, free) – HIT: Another signing of the Hanley mould. Lee gave Blues cover at left-back, and in turn they helped him get fit in between K-League seasons.
James Beadle (Brighton, loan) – MISS: Blues upgraded their goalkeeper by signing Beadle, and the 21-year-old made some excellent saves across the course of the season. Like with any young goalkeeper, Beadle had moments of uncertainty and mistakes that made you question whether Blues should have targeted someone with greater experience to help them achieve their lofty ambitions.
Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce, free) – MISS (for now): We saw towards the end of the season that Osayi-Samuel has the ability to be useful in the Championship, but he didn’t live up to expectations in the first two-thirds of the season. Everyone inside the building hopes that Osayi-Samuel can justify the three-year contract Blues awarded him next season.
Phil Neumann (Hannover 96, free) – HIT: Neumann spent much of his first season with Blues getting used to the demands of the English game with a sprinkling of really solid performances. By the end of the season, it looked as though Neumann had cracked it, and he was arguably the team’s best performer in the final five games.
Eiran Cashin (Brighton, loan) – MISS: You couldn’t fault Cashin’s effort or application during his time with Blues, but it was quite clear he didn’t fit. An early error or two didn’t help Cashin settle, and he was never likely to win back Davies’ trust; what he did do was give his all until the bitter end.
Jack Robinson (Sheffield United, free) – MISS: Another leftie that didn’t do the job Blues wanted. His season will be remembered for two red cards, an own goal, and a bizarre handball that resulted in conceding a penalty. Robinson will turn 33 in September, and it might just be that Blues signed him a year or two too late.
Tommy Doyle (Wolves, loan) – MISS: Doyle was exceptional in some of Blues’ big victories at home, but he was never able to impose himself away from St Andrew’s, and that became a problem. So much so that Davies virtually excluded Doyle from the selection process for away games post-January. It will be interesting to see how Doyle fares in the league next season.
Demarai Gray (Al-Ettifaq, free) – HIT: Blues are partial to a sentimental signing, and Gray was it last summer. Nobody knew how Gray would adapt to the speed of the Championship after two years in Saudi Arabia, but after a slow start, he took off in November. With five goals and five assists, Gray was flying before Christmas, but his momentum was killed by a calf injury on Boxing Day. Almost 30 now, you can see that Gray takes time to get back into his rhythm and up to full speed, so avoiding injuries next season will be key to his influence.
Lewis Koumas (Liverpool, loan) – MISS: Blues picked Koumas out last summer due to his intensity and his pace – a physical asset Davies was eager to add to his squad following promotion – but the 20-year-old didn’t fit. He performed better at Hull, but not well enough to say Blues were wrong to cut his loan short in January. They were wrong to sign him in the first place.
Patrick Roberts (Sunderland, loan then permanent) – HIT: Roberts was a much-needed last minute signing from the summer that worked. He was important in the first half of the season and popped up with some big moments. The question with Roberts is whether he presses well enough out of possession to displace Vicente on the right-wing; if he can’t, then he might have to settle for an impact substitute role moving forward.
Kanya Fujimoto (Gil Vicente, free) – MISS: Clearly not everyone was aligned because Davies showed little interest in using Fujimoto despite Blues’ problems in the number 10 position last season. There was more excitement in the recruitment team about Fujimoto.
Kyogo Furuhashi (Rennes, undisclosed) – MISS: Considering the outlay – which wasn’t the £10million figure that is often bandied around, but considerably larger than any other deal Blues made last summer – Kyogo is pound-for-pound the worst signing of the Gardner era. One Championship goal against Sheffield Wednesday isn’t what Blues needed or Kyogo promised.
Marvin Ducksch (Werder Bremen, undisclosed) – MISS: A strange player to judge. The quality is there for all to see, and Ducksch’s goal record was good, but he went missing in far too many games and, again, you have to question whether he suited a manager whose mantra has always been ‘press to score’. Ducksch isn’t particularly strong on the press, and Blues lost some intensity with him in the XI.
Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union, undisclosed) – HIT: Wagner is another solid signing at left-back, and the speed at which he adapted to the Championship was a bonus. The 29-year-old German should start next season as first choice.
Jhon Solis (Girona, loan) – HIT: Maybe there is some recency bias here, but Solis has proved to be the central midfielder Blues need in the Championship. His age, profile, and potential make him a very good signing. A win for the recruitment team who found him.
Ibrahim Osman (Brighton, loan) – HIT: A straight loan can go one of two ways, and Osman’s went so well that Blues want him back for next season. The frustration is that there isn’t an option, which means Blues are at Brighton’s mercy to a certain extent, but the fact they identified him and secured him in the first place deserves recognition.
August Priske (Djurgarden, £6m) – PENDING: Priske is a signing that will be very much judged on the long-term, and already we have seen his suitability to English football. Had Blues not fronted up the £6million in January for a striker that is essentially a project, they probably wouldn’t have had another chance to sign him. It’s an investment, but the signs are good.
Carlos Vicente (Alaves, £7m) – PENDING: Spanish winger Vicente arrived having scored 10 times for La Liga side Alaves in the first half of the season, and he didn’t slot in seamlessly. As the weeks went by, Vicente looked more at home, and by the end of the season the 27-year-old was flying. He could be a big player next season.
Jonathan Panzo (Rio Ave, free) – MISS: A short-term solution to a problem position, but Panzo only solved the problem for two games. He didn’t play consistently enough and goes down as another miss for Blues in the left-sided centre-back department.
