Cotterill looking forward to a far happier new year
STEVE Cotterill is looking forward to a more successful year after Birmingham City ended their awayday hoodoo at the first attempt in 2018.
Goals from Jacques Maghoma and Sam Gallagher made it 13th time lucky for Blues on their travels this season with a 2-0 victory over Reading.
And the manager hopes it is the start of things to come and the travails of last year can be laid to rest.
“We are delighted with that, delighted for the players, it has been an incredibly difficult period for them,” Cotterill said.
“We have gone to other places and perhaps not got our rewards this season – and certainly of late, it was a good win for us.
“To build on the back of the result against Leeds at the weekend, is fantastic for the players. I am chuffed to bits for them.
“It’s very, very difficult when you are on a downward spiral and at a big football club, which Birmingham City is, the pressure is even more.
“The pressure they have been trying to work and play under has been incredible. I would like to congratulate all of them for the way they have played and the manner we have played.
“I did feel this has been coming for a little while. Thankfully, we have been proved right in a humble way.
“I think for a little while now our football hasn’t warranted us being down at the bottom of the table.
“I watch a lot of other Championship games and some of the football we have played we have deserved a little bit more than we have got.
“Hopefully that can be the start of the second half of the season – 2017 wasn’t a very good year for the football club. It finished on a good note, we’ve started this one on a good note. Hopefully, we carry on working hard and see what 2018 brings for us.”
Cotterill said it was a no-brainer to hand Harlee Dean the captaincy.
The centre-back was given the armband for the 1-0 success over Leeds last Saturday with Michael Morrison dropped to the bench.
Cotterill rewarded the former Brentford man after his encouraging displays in recent games.
“If you look at our last five games I think Harlee Dean has probably been our most consistent performer,” he said.
“I think he brings leadership qualities to the team without the armband. It was quite an easy decision to give it Harlee – there was no big science behind that.”
Meanwhile, Blues are attempting to bring Cameron Jerome back to St Andrew’s, the Birmingham Post understands.
The striker, who left the club in 2011, is available for a cut-price £1.5 million fee as Norwich look to trim their wage bill. Championship sides Derby County, Cardiff City and Sunderland also want to sign the 31-year-old, according to sources.
Jerome joined Blues from Cardiff in 2006 for £4 million and scored 42 times in 202 appearances, including an 11-goal haul in the 2009/10 season as former manager Alex McLeish led the side to a ninth-placed Premier League finish.
Cotterill is aiming to add goals to his squad, who are the lowest scorers in all five English divisions.
With Isaac Vassell out for the season, Blues want reinforcements to provide competition for places in the forward areas.
They are said to have made enquiries for Jerome already ahead of a potential move.
However, Derby and Cardiff could offer the former England Under-21 frontman a possible path back to the Premier League with both sides in the promotion mix.
Jerome has hit 42 goals appearances for Norwich, which have come this season. in two 130 of