Birmingham appoint Zola to replace Rowett

Birmingham City have appointed Gianfranco Zola as their new manager, the club confirmed last night.

The former West Ham and Watford boss has replaced Gary Rowett after he was dismissed earlier yesterday.

Zola was immediately installed as favourite for the job and the Sky Bet Championship club have acted swiftly, ahead of Saturday’s visit of Brighton.

Zola has agreed a twoand-a-half-year deal at St Andrew’s, with former Chelsea team-mate Pierluigi Casiraghi joining him at the club as first-team coach.

Club director Panos Pavlakis said: “We are delighted to welcome Gianfranco and his backroom team to the club.

“His pedigree, philosophy and ambition fits with what we would like to achieve as we move in a new direction.”

Zola was appointed less than six hours after Rowett and his coaching staff parted company with the club after two years. 0 Gianfranco Zola: Joins club in contention for play-offs.

Rowett was dismissed with Birmingham only outside the play-off places on goal difference after winning 2-1 at home to Ipswich on Tuesday.

The Blues’ previous two results were heavy 4-0 and 3-0 defeats to Newcastle and Barnsley respectively but they are the only two losses in the club’s last seven league matches.

Birmingham’s new owner Trillion Trophy Asia Limited announced the decision to relieve Rowett of his duties had been taken “with a strategic, long-term view and with the club’s best interests at heart”.