Birmingham City are trying to find their own Kieran McKenna to replace Tony Mowbray

Garry Cook has promised “a rigorous search process to identify the right leader to take our club forward” after Tony Mowbray stepped down from his role at Birmingham City.

It was confirmed on Tuesday morning that Mowbray, 60, will not return to the Blues in time for pre-season and has therefore left the club. The Blues are now looking for the fourth permanent manager of the Knighthead era.

Chief executive Cook, along with technical director Craig Gardner, will lead the process of appointing Mowbray’s replacement, with the final seal of approval coming from owner Tom Wagner. It is worth noting that Wagner was hugely influential in appointing Mowbray in January.

The Blues are looking for the manager they hope to lead them back to the Championship at the first attempt. Then there is the matter of returning to the Premier League.

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As unlikely as it may seem, Ipswich Town have given hope to all clubs of a similar ilk unlucky enough to be relegated to League One that the Premier League can be achieved within two seasons. The Ipswich ship has been steered by Kieran McKenna, who looks destined to land a big Premier League gig this summer.

The Blues are scouring the market for their very own McKenna – a highly qualified coach who can guide a squad made up of a recruitment squad to play attractive and winning football. McKenna was just 35 when Ipswich appointed him as their manager in December 2021.

At the time, he was seen as a left-field appointment, but more and more clubs are giving inexperienced managers a platform. As Ipswich discovered, the rewards for taking a risk can be enormous.

Portsmouth followed a similar path last year, appointing John Mousinho, 36 at the time, as head coach. Fast forward 18 months and Portsmouth are back in the Championship after a 12 year hiatus.

That’s why we shouldn’t rule out a lower profile name, or one that doesn’t appear at the top of the betting lists. Blues rely on data more than ever and will try to find someone who meets their criteria.

That criteria hasn’t really changed since Knighthead took over, but the wording is a bit different now. Knighthead still believes that possession-based football gives the Blues a better chance of success.

The Blues are not opposed to the appointment of a managerial rookie. Ashley Cole, for example, impressed senior figures with his coaching abilities during his time on the club’s staff.

But new coaching must be married to the ability to communicate and manage players effectively. Mowbray has it all, which is why the Blues waited as long as they could. The recruitment process no one wanted is now underway and the Blues cannot afford to make a bad choice.

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