Simon Jordan believes ‘there’ll be plenty of takers’ for the Birmingham City job – but he also warned the club to chase points not plaudits next season.
Blues are searching for their fourth manager of the Knighthead era after Tony Mowbray stepped down from his position to prioritise his health. Mowbray, 60, initially stepped aside from his Blues duties in February to undergo treatment for an unspecified illness.
His absence was one final insurmountable blow to Blues’ season as the club suffered relegation from the Championship. Mowbray’s replacement will be tasked with getting Blues out of League One at the first attempt.
The club’s owners, American investment firm Knighthead, want to lead Blues into the Premier League and have plans to build a Sports Quarter in the second city. But their football decisions last season, namely appointing Wayne Rooney in place of John Eustace, cost the club its Championship status.
READ: Runners and riders to replace Tony Mowbray as Birmingham City manager
READ: Tony Mowbray pens emotional message after Blues exit and reveals wish
“It doesn’t matter what you do off-the-field,” said Jordan, the former owner of Crystal Palace. “You can live in this world of off-the-field stuff for a period of time but if you relegate your club from the Championship into League One, then you are accountable for it.
“All these guys have done is waste a year. But, be under no illusions, it’s not easy to own a club in the first season. I did something similar and we got out of relegation on the last day of the season. But I didn’t take a manager out who was sixth in the league.
“I do get tired of hearing this argument about style of football. Sod the style of football, get out of League One.
“There’ll be plenty of takers for the Birmingham job. There’ll be plenty of people who see it as an opportunity. It’s a big football club that should have done far more things during its lifespan.”