Krystian Bielik reveals why he signed for Birmingham City, talks and Chris Davies’ position

In the lobby of a hotel in western Austria, in the middle of the Alps, Krystian Bielik sits down for an interview that no one expected. Bielik signed a new contract with Birmingham City following their relegation to League One.

That sentence seemed impossible just two months ago, when Bielik really licked his wounds after the Blues’ fate was sealed. He was a no-show at the Blues’ end-of-season awards dinner, possibly because he couldn’t cope, and most insiders thought they had said their final goodbyes to the popular Pole.

It was a conversation with new manager Chris Davies that turned the tide and convinced Bielik to stay. “During the vacation I had so many thoughts in my mind,” Bielik begins. “I was upset. It was a difficult season for us, a lot of things happened, four different managers, it’s never easy for the players, for the coaches, for the club.

“To be honest with you, it’s simple: I always say I want to play at the highest level possible and since I met the new manager and sat with him in his office and had a very good chat about the future, I realized. I have never worked with anyone like him.

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“It’s not just me, us players and fans, we miss winning so I’ve decided to stay with Birmingham and be part of that big project because I really think we’ve got huge potential to bounce back straight away this season . I miss that feeling of winning games and I feel like this season is the kind of season where I can really play good football, enjoyable for myself and the fans. The way we will play this season is the way Birmingham have never played.

“We will play good football for the eyes. I want to be part of this big project. The owners have big plans and I think we can get back to the Championship this season and then anything can happen.”

Davies’ attention to detail before, during and after training sessions really impressed Bielik. The former Liverpool, Celtic, Leicester and Tottenham Hotspur manager drives standards extremely high, from coaches to players, and wants to be elite in every department.

In two-and-a-half seasons with the Blues, dating back to his initial loan spell in 2017, Bielik has experienced life under six different managers. Seventh is the one he seems to trust the most.

“He has enormous experience as a coach, as an assistant,” continued Bielik. “He coached the best of the best. Top footballers always speak highly of him, that he cares and works hard with them to help them.

“He’s never been a manager but I think he’s ready and he’s proved it in the first few sessions. You can see he is very hungry for success and wants the best for Birmingham City. Seeing all those sessions and how much he cares and how hard he works to make us understand what he expects from us, it made me feel like, “Yeah, this is the guy to get us back to where we belong.”

“After the first few sessions, other players would say the same thing. He really proved that they are not empty words. He says a lot but when you jump on the field you see that whatever he says, happens. I think what we do in training we can transfer to the field. I’m sure we will. We’re going to shock everybody.”

Attention now turns to another burning question for Bielik: Where will you play? After starting last season impressively as a holding midfielder, Bielik finished it with a series of commanding performances in defence.

“I think more as a central defender,” he clarified. “The manager told me if he needs me in midfield then we all know I can play there too. He wants me to control the tempo from behind.”

The Blues tried to build from the back forward and it ended badly for Wayne Rooney. Bielik pointed to the signings of goalkeepers Ryan Allsop and Bailey Peacock-Farrell when asked if he was happy with his new position.

“I saw straight away from the first transfers we made, starting with the goalkeepers, Ryan and Bailey, that’s the basis if you want to play the way the manager wants. These days, in this kind of football all teams who want to control the game play, the goalkeeper has to be another central defender as the 11th player.

“I can’t remember the last goalkeeper Birmingham City had who was good with his feet. We have two of them right now. Both are composed and want to play.

“When you ask me if I like it, yes, I will enjoy it with those players around me, a goalkeeper who wants to play and those in front of me and next to me who want to have the ball, don’t hide it. and I want to play forward.”

Accepting a season in Ligue 1 could be detrimental to his chances of adding to Poland’s 11 caps. The 26-year-old has not been called up to his national team since last March.

Michal Probierz has taken over Bielik since taking over from Fernando Santos in September. Despite this, Bielik remains determined to force his way back, whether at centre-back or in midfield.

Bielik’s absence from the Polish set-up should work in the Blues’ favour, especially now that they are not assured of international breaks in League 1. One thing is for sure, Bielik is valued and loved at St Andrew’s.