MX23RW : Thursday, March 28 17:35:03| >> :60:1453:1453:

Craig Gardner to join Birmingham coaching staff at end of season

Craig Gardner to join Birmingham coaching staff at end of season
© Reuters
The midfielder helped Blues win the League Cup in 2011.

Craig Gardner is to become first-team coach at Birmingham in July once he has retired from playing at the end of the season.

The boyhood Blues fan, who has also played for Aston Villa, West Brom and Sunderland during his 15-season career, has played for City in two spells, chalking up 125 appearances and 16 goals from midfield.

Gardner is currently a player/coach under Birmingham boss Pep Clotet, although he has made just one appearance this season in skippering City in a 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat at Portsmouth in early August.

Looking ahead to his new role, Gardner told Birmingham's website: "It's exciting and a real honour.

"When you are a kid you dream about becoming a footballer. To play for the team you support, in the Premier League, win a cup, to finish your footballing career here and then to start a new chapter as a coach, I couldn't have wished for more.

"To be given this opportunity is a privilege and this club is a great place to be."

Gardner, who turned 33 on Monday, does not believe he is too young to give up his playing career, and is confident on having an impact on the players coming through.

"People say 'You're only 33. You can continue to play at a good standard'," added Gardner, who won the League Cup with City in 2011.

"Is that what I want now? I want to be part of this club. You can see over the past four or five months what the club wants to do – what the club is doing.

"The owners and the board, everyone is putting a lot of positives in.

"The way we are training and preparing with Pep, Paco Herrera, Xavi Calm, Darryl Flahavan and the staff, everyone is on board.

"It is a great place to be around. Everyone is buzzing every single day. The players are smiling, they are happy – you can see that on the pitch as well.

"I have enjoyed my career, every bit of it. Now I want the players to enjoy theirs.

"I will give every single thing I can to help them do that and to help them improve and get this club back where we should be."

ID:380667: cacheID:380667:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3285:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
General view of Cardiff City's Cardiff City Stadium taken August 2018
Read Next:
Cardiff, Birmingham fined by FA after clash
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds38257670284282
2Leicester CityLeicester37264774334182
3Ipswich TownIpswich38249580493181
4Southampton36227773472673
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom381991059362366
6Norwich CityNorwich381871369541561
7Hull City371610115346758
8Coventry CityCoventry3715121059431657
9Preston North EndPreston37168134954-556
10Middlesbrough38166165352154
11Cardiff CityCardiff38165174351-853
12Sunderland38146184845348
13Watford381212145351248
14Bristol City38138174245-347
15Swansea CitySwansea381210164858-1046
16Millwall381110173650-1443
17Blackburn RoversBlackburn38119185164-1342
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth381011175462-841
19Stoke CityStoke38118193553-1841
20Queens Park RangersQPR381010183650-1440
21Birmingham CityBirmingham38109194259-1739
22Huddersfield TownHuddersfield38815154261-1939
23Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds38115223061-3138
24Rotherham UnitedRotherham38311243077-4720


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!