It may be the international break, but there's no rest for the Forever Blues podcast!
In Episode 56, Colin Tattum and Paul Tait discuss a wide range of topics, featuring stars past and present. With a three-week hiatus underway, the boys discuss how Birmingham City are keeping sharp behind closed doors before the massive derby day showdown against West Bromwich Albion. They assess what the Baggies have been doing right and the tactical battles expected at The Hawthorns.
Then, Taity fires up the time machine! He picks the one current Blues star he'd drop into the legendary 1994/95 double-winning side, and reveals which icons from Barry Fry's era—like Steve Claridge and Mark Ward—he’d bring back for Chris Davies today.
Finally, the lads talk about Jude Bellingham's unstoppable rise to superstardom, whether he'll return to unretire the 22 shirt, and share classic stories involving Trevor Francis, Gianfranco Zola, and Eric Cantona's famous "seagulls" quote!
Don't forget to like, subscribe, and check out the Forever Blues website for news, features, analysis, and nostalgia: https://foreverblues.counterpress.media/
A massive thank you to our Principal Partner: Davisons Law
And our Junior Partner: The Big Bulls Head in Digbeth
0:00 - Intro and thanks to Davisons Law
0:15 - LIVE event at The Hayes
1:07 - International break - three weeks too long?
3:15 - Behind closed doors friendly and time off
4:35 - Max Bird and Taylor Gardner-Hickman returning
5:40 - Bird to partner Jhon Solis eventually
7:10 - Seven key fixtures up the next international break
8:45 - West Bromwich Albion freezing at Wolves and learning lessons against Blues
10:25 - Styles playing out of position for the Baggies and their transfer dealings
12:10 - Throwing internationals straight back in
13:04 - Albion's younger players and relative inexperience
16:00 - Earning the right to play in a derby
16:40 - Tight games at the Hawthorns, comparing to Blues v Aston Villa, Richard Sneekes
20:25 - Taity selects the current player to go into the 1994/95 team - and vice-versa
24:20 - Nomadic Blues and their training grounds
25:40 - Signing which player(s) for the current Blues side from Barry Fry's team
27:20 - Jude Bellingham - England's player of the year again
28:00 - Jude's first thought is to go forward, not taking the easy option
29:22 - Jude carrying team on his shoulders, like a Roy Keane or Bryan Robson
30:35 - Incomparable - he's a unique, all purpose football
31:00 - Does Thomas Tuchel like Jude?
32:15 - Jude back to reclaim the 22 shirt for Blues
33:30 - Adapting his game the older he goes
34:25 - Trevor Francis - so good in training as a manager, like Gianfranco Zola
35:05 - Eric Cantona's 'aura' and his made up 'seagulls follow the trawler' quip
38:04 - Outro and thank you to Davisons Law and the Big Bulls Head in Digbeth
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