Pressure is mounting on Birmingham City head coach Chris Davies, with the club now linked with a move for former Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick.
Blues' Form Slump Sparks Managerial Speculation
The Midlands club's disappointing run of results has thrown Davies's future into sharp focus. Birmingham are winless in their last five Championship fixtures, a sequence that includes a 1-1 home draw with Derby County on Boxing Day, where Jack Robinson scored their goal.
This poor form has left the Blues languishing in 15th place in the table after 23 games. They are currently a significant six points adrift of the play-off positions, with Bristol City occupying the final top-six spot.
The team faces another tough test on Monday, hosting promotion-chasing Southampton at St Andrew's, in a match that could prove pivotal for the manager.
Michael Carrick Emerges as Leading Contender
According to reports from Football Insider, Michael Carrick is a 'leading contender' should Birmingham's hierarchy decide to make a change in the dugout. The club is said to be showing concrete 'interest' in the 44-year-old, who has been out of management since the summer.
Carrick boasts an impressive pedigree from both his playing and coaching career:
- He enjoyed a stellar playing career with West Ham, Tottenham Hotspur, and most notably Manchester United, making 706 appearances and winning five Premier League titles.
- The former England international, who earned 34 caps, moved into coaching at Old Trafford after retiring in 2018, taking caretaker charge in 2021.
- His first permanent managerial role came at Middlesbrough in 2022, where he won 46.3% of his matches in charge at the Riverside Stadium.
Why Carrick is Available After Middlesbrough Exit
Carrick's departure from Middlesbrough in June followed a season where the club failed to meet promotion expectations. He guided Boro to the play-off semi-finals in his first campaign, where they were beaten by Coventry City, but they missed out on the top six in the following season.
As BBC Radio Tees journalist Mark Drury explained at the time, the decision to sack Carrick was not a knee-jerk reaction. It followed an in-depth review by the club's hierarchy after a season where they suffered 18 league defeats and finished with a points total that was the lowest required for the play-offs in a decade.
This has left the highly-regarded coach available and, as reports suggest, now considering a swift return to the Championship with Birmingham City as they weigh up their own options following a concerning dip in form.
