Overhaul under way as Monk begins to defuse Bomb Squad
ROBERT Tesche’s departure from Blues brings to an end a three-year relationship which promised much but ultimately underwhelmed.
It also signals the start of Garry Monk’s overhaul of a squad – that may be followed by the departures of Jonathan Grounds and David Stockdale – put together by three of his four predecessors.
Tesche is a good footballer, he thrived at Bochum in the second half of last season and will be hoping that, unlike with Blues, his loan move is a precursor to a successful permanent stay.
The early signs for Tesche at Blues were promising. He was far more responsible for their end-ofseason surge, which in 2015 saw them win five of their final eight games and finish tenth, than fellow loan signing Diego Fabbrini.
The German played a massive part in turning Gary Rowett’s evolving Blues from opportunistic counter-attackers to a more possessionbased side that signposted the next step for the manager’s first full season in charge.
Had Rowett been able to tease him away from Nottingham Forest’s grasp in the summer of 2015, things might have been very different for everyone associated.
Instead, Forest’s change of management and Tesche’s renaissance meant his 2015/2016 campaign lay back at the City Ground. The footballing gods ensured he was injured long term in his first match that season.
By the time Rowett finally got his man, 12 months later, the story had moved on. Tesche had a three-orfour-game spell in August-September 2016 when he and Maikel Kieftenbeld looked to have a really good understanding. Unfortunately he was injured again.
A few months later the chaos started and, like everyone else, Tesche found himself caught up in the post-Rowett confusion.
It’s the fallout of that, five managers in 15 months et cetera, that Monk is currently dealing with. Tesche has gone, Fabbrini is likely to follow as are some of Rowett’s other recruits.
Then there’s the remnants of Gianfranco Zola’s business and the spillage from Harry Redknapp’s supermarket sweep. A Bomb Squad has crystallised.
Thankfully, Rowett and Redknapp did bring in some excellent building blocks around which to base Monk’s team. The end to last season proved that.
With some targeted additions, which began on Monday with the arrival of Danish defender Kristian Pedersen, Monk should oversee a far more comfortable campaign – but the books have to be balanced and Tesche’s departure won’t be the first towards that end.
On that note, left-back Grounds is set to leave after being excluded from Monk’s pre-season plans.
Monk has made Grounds available for transfer along with goalkeeper Stockdale.
While the rest of Blues’ first team squad are being put through their paces at the Trillion Trophy Training Centre, including newbie Kristian Pedersen, Grounds and Stockdale haven’t been involved.
Grounds has shown his face at the training ground but he hasn’t taken part in any of Monk’s sessions.
The 30-year-old joined Blues from Oldham Athletic four years ago and signed a new two-year contract last season.
Grounds’ only start under Monk came in the 2-0 defeat to Wolves in April in what was his 170th appearance in royal blue.
That is expected to be his last, though, with Blues willing to listen to offers for the left-back.
Monk has wasted no time in securing a replacement for Grounds, snapping up Pedersen, and the former Denmark under-21 international will raise the standard at Blues according to Monk.
“I’m really pleased,” he said. “I think it’s an exciting signing for the club. Looking at that position I felt it was somewhere we needed to strengthen.
“The standard of everything we do now needs to be higher. The players and staff are aware that we have to change the mentality and set the bar higher.
“It’s about shaping the squad how you want it and making sure all the players are pulling in the right direction. That’s what we’ve tried to do, starting with Kristian.”