Knighthead’s Academy gets technical with chief’s arrival

BLUES have announced the arrival of Mike Rigg as the club’s new academy technical director – a sure nod to the future and endorsement of Knighthead Capital’s plan to sustain and improve the fortunes of the club in the long-term, despite their ongoing Championship survival concerns.

Rigg has previously been with Manchester City, Queens Park Rangers, Burnley and in the Wales set-up, although his most recent occupation was with Al Jazira in the UAE Pro League. Blues, upon announcing the appointment, declared that Rigg would bring ‘a wealth of coaching, administrative and strategic experience from the professional game’ to the club.

Rigg, whose career in football spans 34 years, will work at the club’s Wast Hills training ground where the Blues academy is still based and will primarily work with academy manager of football Liam Daish and academy manager of operations Louisa Collis.

Having spoken with club CEO Garry Cook and technical director Craig Gardner, the aim for Rigg is to re-establish the club’s Category One academy status in due course.

While in the first instance Blues, who have reinstalled Gary Rowett as the club’s manager on an interim basis while Tony Mowbray continues to recover from surgery, are looking to ensure that they remain in the Championship this term with five matches left to play, the club’s ownership continue to roll out their long-term plans which involve expansion and casting Blues’ brand further afield. “I spoke to Garry Cook and Craig Gardner and they shared the plans and vision for the club,” Rigg said.

“To be part of that, at a club with the history, traditions and potential of Birmingham City is really exciting.”