Birmingham City: Blues have ‘got lots of plates spinning’, says boss Mowbray

Tony Mowbray signed a two-and-a-half year deal with Birmingham on 8 January

Birmingham City boss Tony Mowbray says lots of things could still happen for the Championship club in the January transfer window despite being limited by Financial Fair Play rules.

Blues were one of the Championship’s busiest players in the summer transfer window, making 13 signings following their US takeover by Tom Wagner.

But new boss Mowbray says there will still be things they can do.

“There’s lots of conversations, lots of plates spinning,” he told BBC Radio WM.

“We’re excited about the recruitment side. More than I expected.

“We can’t spend millions but we can move a few things around to make this and that happen.

“The group needs a little help in certain areas and, if we can improve that by adding a couple of players, whether it’s loan players or whatever, then that’s what we’ll try to do.”

Mowbray is working with Blues technical director Craig Gardner to co-ordinate who might stay and who might go – especially in the light of reported Italian interest in Wales midfielder Jordan Jamesexternal-link.

“Craig Gardner is going to be having a busy few weeks,” added Mowbray.

“He’s never off the phone taking calls about whether we might be able to do this, we might be able to do that, or what about this?”

One obvious problem area is Blues’ goal return of 32 in 27 league games.

Scott Hogan and veteran target man Lukas Jutkiewicz -now sidelined with a hamstring injury – have scored just five goals between them, while eight-goal top scorer Jay Stansfield prefers to play off the front man or out wide.

Although Mowbray says every team “needs” out-and-out strikers, he says there is flexibility in the current squad.

“It’s not a case of putting all our eggs in one basket and only chasing number nines,” he said.

“There are options – we still have Scott Hogan and Jay Stansfield has shown he is capable of banging in goals down the middle.

“I’m just looking at what we’ve got and what is the best chance we’ve got to go and win games.”

After starting with a 2-2 draw at home to Swansea City, followed by the midweek 2-1 FA Cup third-round replay win over Hull City – both earned by late goals – Mowbray now faces the tough test this Saturday of an away trip up the M6 to much-improved Stoke City who are unbeaten in five league games under new boss Steven Schumacher.

“It could be a case of just keeping it tight,” Mowbray said.

“That goes a bit against the grain of what I do, but clean sheets are a product of hard work and organisation. It’s about getting the balance right.”

Tony Mowbray was talking to BBC Radio WM’s Richard Wilford.