To get out of this division you need a big slice of luck

LEE BOWYER says there is one vital ingredient every Championship manager will be praying for this season: Lady Luck.

Birmingham City’s boss (below) is heading into his first full campaign with the club he took over four months ago.

And he says that, as much as it is about the quality of player, he believes no team will prosper without some good fortune.

“You look at this division and managers will give the same answer about promotion,” he said. “You’ll be looking at the teams who have just been relegated from the Premier League.

“Twelve months ago, Norwich and Watford came down – they went straight up. So this year you’ve got to look at Fulham.

“I could say the same about West Brom and Sheffield United.

“Bournemouth have a good group and Scott Parker has experience of getting out of the division with Fulham.

“But if you ask Championship managers what they would want most, I can guarantee you they’d say they need luck with injuries. You need your main men.

“If you lose one or two of the spine of your side, it becomes tough.”

Bowyer made giant strides after taking over from

Aitor Karanka in

March, guiding

City to safety with an eight-match run. But he is playing down any expectations.

He said: “For the last three or four years, this club has been in and around the relegation zone. You want to go from there into the top six? We need to be realistic. And I am a realist.

“Do I think we will surprise teams? For sure. We have a bit of everything. We have brought in players with something to prove.” Top of that list is Tahith Chong, on loan from Manchester United. Juan Castillo on a

similar deal from Chelsea. Likewise, Ryan Woods from Stoke City.

Bowyer added: “Chong has to do well in this division. It’s OK doing it in Belgium or Holland. It’s completely different in the English league. If he does well here, then Manchester United will look at him and say, ‘We know you can do it here’.

“He returns a different player in their eyes. But he’s not been tested yet.

“Same with Juan from Chelsea. He’s done it abroad, but it’s going to be tough for him, physically.

“These lads are machines compared with the Charlton side I took into this division.

“When I turned up here with 10 games to go, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, just look at them – they are built differently.’ “You look at Gary Gardner, 6ft 1in, greatlooking footballer. Kristian Pedersen – 6ft-something as a leftback.

“He looks like that fella out of the Rocky films, that boxer. I’ve seen him go into tackles and I’m telling him to slow down.

“A lot of these lads are Championshiphardened. They know what to expect. And that counts for a lot.”