Birmingham City Set-up ‘Even More Premier League’ Says Ex-Striker As Rangers Loanee Namechecked | OneFootball

Dan Istitene/Getty Images

Former striker Sam Parkin believes that Birmingham City are similar in make-up to how Ipswich Town were when they won promotions up to the top flight, but thinks Blues have ‘even more Premier League’ about them, while hailing Rangers loan star Kieran Dowell.

Birmingham have blown League One apart this season to win the title with ease and they could yet finish on 111 points if they win their remaining two matches.

Blues, under Chris Davies, also reached the final of the EFL Trophy, though they came up short against Peterborough United, and have been hugely impressive throughout the season.

Many now feel that Birmingham have a real chance to do what Ipswich did in going up straight from League One to the Premier League in consecutive seasons.

Parkin does think there is a similarity in the way that Birmingham and Ipswich set up, but he feels Blues are a cut above what the Tractor Boys were when they went up from League One.

He stressed that Birmingham have more control of the ball and are in many respects more Premier League in their set-up, while also namechecking several players, including Rangers loan midfielder Dowell for his ability to come inside and become a number ten.

“Slightly more akin to what Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich were like, but even more control with the ball, even more kind of continental, even more Premier League”, Parkin said about Birmingham on the Championship Check-in Show (15:29).

“Not much deviates. Really good players, a system that remains consistent, a left-back in [Alex] Cochrane who flies up that side, Keshi Anderson coming in off the flank.

“You’ve kind of got Kieran Dowell coming in and making himself a number 10 even though he started in a wide position.

“Two brilliantly adept ball-playing central midfielders and then obviously the outlier a bit, the thing that people have beaten them with is, is the amount of money they have been able to spend up front on the prize asset that is [Jay] Stansfield.”

With real cash behind them, there will be an expectation on Birmingham to challenge for promotion in the Championship next season that would not usually be attributed to newly promoted clubs.

Blues have a number of players who are on loan, including Dowell, and all eyes will be on who they manage to keep into next term.