Tom Brady is a man who knows all about winning – the NFL legend can point to seven Super Bowl rings in support of that fact. He also knows football. He may be better versed in the American version than the English equivalent, but the basic principles are the same.
Whether competing at SoFi Stadium or St Andrew’s, success will be enjoyed if the right pieces of a sporting puzzle are put together. When he invested in Birmingham City, Brady committed to putting his vast experience to good use.
Dream
It’s #MowbrayMonday. 🔵⚪️
We are delighted to announce Tony Mowbray as the new Men’s First Team Manager.
— Birmingham City FC (@BCFC) January 8, 2024
There was, rather inevitably, immediate talk of return tickets to the Premier League being secured. The Blues were riding high when they welcomed the gridiron icon onto their books, with top-flight dreams very much worth clinging to.
It’s safe to say that things haven’t played out as planned since then, but the same targets remain in place. Through shrewd transfer business and careful management, Birmingham can once again earn favour among those taking advantage of free bet offers from the likes of sportsbooks such as Betfred, Midnite and Paddy Power as promotion hunches are put to the test. Undoubtedly, odds that currently stand at 100/1 for a top-six finish will shorten once steps are taken in the right direction, with the second tier of English football all about confidence and momentum.
Wayne Rooney was initially charged with the task of guiding Birmingham down that path, before seeing that experiment brought to a halt after just 15 games.
Having plumped for a so-called ‘name’ in the first managerial appointment of the Brady era, the Blues favoured pedigree over potential second time around.
Tony Mowbray has been there, seen it and done it in the Championship. He’s a safe pair of hands and a man capable of delivering on expectations – certainly on a short-term basis. Whether he has a long-term future in the West Midlands remains to be seen.
The man himself has said: “I’m not silly. If there’s a project that’s going to take 10 years, then I’m not going to be here at the end of that project. But I’d be delighted to be part of the story.” He went on to discuss lofty ambitions that potentially sit beyond his remit: “Hopefully the world’s next great coach will see a Birmingham City side winning the Champions League!”
Brady, more than most, appreciates the value of longevity in the coaching department. His record-setting achievements in NFL circles were enjoyed while working with fellow all-time great, Bill Belichick.
Stability
The Brady-Belichick era was special. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/tvrA9qWAAY
— NFL (@NFL) January 11, 2024
The New England Patriots became an almost immovable object as superstar quarterback delivered on the demands of future Hall of Fame coach. Birmingham knows that stability and continuity are required in their part of the world from this point.
Mowbray was acquired with faith needing to be shown in somebody for collective goals to be hit. The experienced tactician appears to accept that he’s not part of a much bigger picture in Birmingham.
The Blues need to start walking before they can run, though, and that may allow Mowbray to get his feet under the table. He may not be another Belichick for Brady, but he can put the foundations in place on which another sporting dynasty can be built.
