Source: FOOTYMAD
Two Departures in the Midlands
As Birmingham and Forest look for new managers. The failure to bring Premier League football to Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest for the 2011-2012 season has today seen the departures of both clubs’ managers. Brum boss Alex McLeish, who led the Second City side to Carling Cup glory in February has resigned after seeing Birmingham fall through the relegation trapdoor for the second time in his near four year tenure, whilst Forest have sacked Billy Davies after a second successive play-off disappointment. 52 year old McLeish joined Birminghamin November 2007 with the side 16th in the Premier League. They were eventually relegated but the former Rangers boss led them straight back up the following year, finishing second in the Championship. He then led them to a commendable ninth position in the top flight in 2009-2010, and steered the club to their first major trophy in 48 years in February by beating hot favourites Arsenal 2-1 in the League Cup Final. At the time the Blues were 14th in the league, but won just two of their final 12 matches, with a final day 2-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur dropping them into the bottom three and back into the Championship. It is rumoured McLeish may now take over at Birmingham’s hated rivals Aston Villa, who are searching for a successor to Gerard Houllier. Meanwhile 50 miles across the Midlands, Nottingham Forest are on the verge of appointing former England boss Steve McClaren, after ending the two year reign of McLeish’s fellow Scotsman Billy Davies. The 47 year old saw his contract at the City Ground terminated this afternoon after a second successive play-off failure. In 2009-2010, Davies led Forest to the play-offs, but they were eliminated 6-4 on aggregate by Blackpool, and now 12 months later they lost out 3-1 to Swansea (Overall Forest have been involved in the playoffs four times and have never got past the semi-finals) Davies, who led Derby to the Premier League via the same route in 2007, was hailed a hero when he first arrived at City in January 2009. At the time, Forest were engaged in a relegation battle and sat in 21st position. He engineered eight victories from their final 20 matches which saw them survive, and then has led them to the play-offs in the two subsequent seasons. Unfortunately the fiery Scot has always held a frosty relationship with Chairman Nigel Doughty, and that has now come to an end. According to sources in the East Midlands, McClaren, who infamously failed to qualify for Euro 2008 with the national side, will be appointed on Monday. Like Davies, McClaren has links with Forest’s hated rivals Derby after being assistant there for four years in the late 1990s.
