Ipswich comparison and money card - What League One managers think about Birmingham City

Birmingham City have lost their lead at the top of League One to Wycombe Wanderers after two weeks without a fixture.

Wycombe hammered Stockport County 5-0 on Tuesday to take top spot from Chris Davies' side ahead of their return to league action against Northampton Town on Saturday. The two teams are level on points but Blues have a game-in-hand on the Chairboys.

Blues have made a flying start to the season with nine wins from their first 12 games. Davies’ team were favourites for the title before the season started and they are living up to their billing as things stand. They have been aided by a quite extraordinary summer transfer window, which saw the club recruit 17 new players and spend in excess of £20 million.

Almost every manager Blues have come up against has referenced that spending power. Some have also been complimentary of the way Blues play. Here is everything the 12 League One managers who have faced Blues this season have said.

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Ruben Selles (Reading)

Selles is the only manager who hasn't paid Blues much lip service. The Spaniard's Reading side impressed at St Andrew's on the opening day and he chose to focus on them before and after the match.

Speaking beforehand, Selles said: “Everyone invests the money they have or want in the club as long as they can be sustainable. Not many clubs can support that level of finance.

"Sometimes you need money to create good teams, sometimes you have a good academy and you can create a good team. There are lots of different ways to do it. But it’s played by 11 players and about which team is better not how much money you spend.”

Nathan Jones (Charlton)

When Blues beat Charlton 1-0 at The Valley in August, Jones spent his post-match press conference talking up the budget available to his opposite number. He then added: “These are expected to walk the league. Not win the league, walk it. And the margins were very small between the two teams. We’re in a decent place.”

Jones focussed on his own side after Charlton defeated Blues in League One last month.

Matt Bloomfield (Wycombe)

Wycombe manager Bloomfield was fulsome in his praise, saying: “Birmingham City are going to get promoted this season. Absolutely - they remind me of what Ipswich did a couple of years ago.

“They’ve gone and recruited an incredible young coach, they’re spending millions and millions of pounds on the backroom staff, on the playing staff, on everything, and there's no point spending all that money if you're not going to do it right. They're doing it right and properly.”

Richie Wellens (Leyton Orient)

Speaking after his side narrowly lost to Blues in August, Wellens said: “I thought we were the better team, by far the better team. They’ve got quality, obviously, but we were the better team and definitely should have got something out of it.

“They can have passages where they pass it between the defenders and the goalkeeper so it takes the sting out of it, but I thought for the first half hour of the second half they didn’t get out of their own half. I’m disappointed but proud because you only have to look at what they’ve got and what they’ve spent. We’re a team of free transfers – not one player of ours cost a penny. You look at the riches that they have and I thought we were better than them.”

Shaun Maloney (Wigan)

Before the game, Wigan boss Maloney – who spent time at Aston Villa during his playing career – couldn’t have been more flattering. He said: “When you look at the resources and the level of investment at Birmingham, it’s them and then the rest of the league in my opinion. They’re a really good team with really good players. I know the left-back (Alex Cochrane) from Hearts – really good player. If you look at the financial side of things, it shouldn’t be a contest.”

Afterwards, Maloney reflected: “When you compare the teams, the level of investment, our academy players, what they did today was very good. I’ve honestly never been as proud as I have been watching a team like that come and really play, I think that’s why I’m so disappointed.”

Phil Parkinson (Wrexham)

Wrexham – who have crusaded through the leagues thanks in no small part to the spending power of Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney – lost their unbeaten record to Blues and Parkinson was quick to point to a difference in resources afterwards.

"Birmingham have had an extraordinary opportunity this summer with the resources they have had," said Parkinson. "Every player we were going for, they were going for them and outbidding us or offering more wages. It was almost 'let them sign who they want and everyone else will look for what else is out there'.

“No-one can compete in this division in terms of their spending and it would have been absolute madness to say we could compete with Birmingham City's spending, it's just impossible. They have spent more than any other club outside the Premier League. But, listen, if I was in their position with those resources available, you’d get the best possible players you can and that’s what they’ve done."

Parkinson stopped short of handing Blues the League One title, adding: "As much as we don't want to get too carried away with this defeat, we don't want to get too carried away with Birmingham.

"It was a good performance from them and they are unbeaten. But there's a lot of football to be played. But of course with the options they have got off the bench, they are going to take some beating. They have got talent and are a decent side."

Steve Evans (Rotherham)

Evans dubbed Blues 'the Galacticos of League One' and 'Real Birmingham' in the week leading up to the match at the New York Stadium, but he focussed less on their finances after watching his team get pulled apart on the pitch.

He said: “They’re the best League One team I’ve ever seen with the way they pass and they move. They are a terrific side full of good young players.

“We have absolutely no excuses. We couldn’t touch them. They were much better than us. I thought we were poor in spells but started well. Their goal was against the run of play.

“We changed it at half-time and were more disciplined. We were well beat. I am not going to make any excuses. Our season will not be defined by a defeat by Birmingham. We’ve learned lots of lessons. We will regroup and get ready for the next games.”

Darren Ferguson (Peterborough)

Peterborough threatened to cause an upset after going two-nil up at St Andrew's. Ferguson reflected: “I said before the game, and I meant it, I feel the relegation has been the best thing to happen to this club. It’s galvanised everyone, they have brought in a good coach, the place is flying now and they are going to have a right go at getting out of the league first time. The best thing that could have happened to Birmingham has actually happened.

“We wanted to come here and have a go at them. We wanted to be on the front foot if we could. We’re not going to play this team every week. They’ve recruited really well and have some outstanding players for this level. But we didn’t want to just sit here and let them win the game comfortably.”

Michael Duff (Huddersfield)

Huddersfield were expected to be among Blues' biggest challengers this season but the meeting on October 1 showed the two teams are poles apart, even if the score-line was only one-nil. Duff's comment about 'not being judged on Birmingham away' was particularly telling.

He said: "They wore us down in the end by sticking to the patterns that they do. In the end we were soundly beaten, there's no getting away from that. I don't think we're going to get judged on Birmingham away.

"We didn't want to come and just sit in and wait to get beat, we wanted to be positive and at least have a go. We've got to take the positives and move on because we're not going to play them every week. They are the best team, there's no doubt about that. You look at the players they've got, not only the goals but you look at the two centre-midfield players, they never turn the ball over.

"They're a good team with a good manager. They can make changes, look at the people they are bringing off the bench. No one knows Alfie May better than I do, I worked with him for four years and he's scored 70-odd goals at this level. Credit to them, we haven't got that spending power. That's not me booing, that's the reality of where we're at."

Paul Hurst (Shrewsbury Town)

Shrewsbury suffered a 4-0 defeat to a weakened Blues team in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy last week. Their manager Paul Hurst was frank in his assessment afterwards.

"It was a tough game with the quality they have, and they have some excellent footballers irrespective of players away and players injured and it not being their full-strength team. There wasn't anyone out there that they wouldn't class as a first team player.

"I'm frustrated with two of the goals where we contributed massively. This is where you see the difference. I would say we've had loads of good opportunities and situations tonight. The way they took their first, with the quality to punish, and we've had some great situations. I was pleased with the second half because it could have been an even longer half than it was."

Michael Skubala (Lincoln City)

Lincoln put Blues under pressure at Sincil Bank with a first minute goal but Davies' side recovered to record a 3-1 victory. Speaking afterwards, Lincoln chief Skubala said: "They're a really good team. The two sixes in there are full international players that really know how to manage and control a game.

"I think we caused them a lot of problems. I've watched them three or four times and I don't think there's many teams that will cause them the problems that we did. There's no doubt about it, they are a strong outfit and everyone knows what they are doing this season, so I'm proud about the performance.

"They're a really good counter-pressing team. They get you because they lock you in. There's no doubt about it, they are a good team, but we'll be better the next time we play them at St Andrew's."

Ian Evatt (Bolton Wanderers)

Promotion hopefuls Bolton were soundly beaten 2-0 at St Andrew's in October and their manager Ian Evatt was very complimentary about Blues.

He said: “They’re a really good team, and they should be, with the finances that have been spent here. They’re as good as I’ve seen at this level.

“With the personnel we had available, we had a plan to be tight and be in the game at 60 minutes and then we could get the attackers on, be a bit more adventurous and go for it.

“The disappointing thing was we conceded very early on. We lost a duel in midfield that we shouldn’t have lost and then it was brilliant, but the goal was a bit self-inflicted. We hung in there and got the moment we wanted – John had to score.

“If he had, that would have been 1-1 with five, 10 minutes to go, we’d have been in the ascendancy and it would have been a really positive result. Two minutes later, Will (Forrester) was trying to block the ball and his momentum carried him through.

“You see that tackle so many times during games and the referee – who I thought was very poor – couldn’t wait to give the penalty. I was disappointed that it was another big game where a big moment has cost us.”

Nigel Clough (Mansfield)

Mansfield gave Blues one of their toughest League One tests of the season to claim a point at Field Mill. Nigel Clough's team could have won it in the second half with three good chances but Blues stopper Ryan Allsop stood strong to keep them at bay.

"Technically they are exceptionally good," Clough said of Blues. "The quality of the players they have and you saw some of the one and two-touch was above this standard. I thought we were in the ascendancy for a little period but you always have to be very careful because of the quality they have all over the pitch.

"The pace, that was the thing today. They are bringing on lads in wide areas with a lot of pace and skill and we just about dealt with them."