Stylish boss John Eustace refused to stick the knife in at Birmingham City as their relegation from the Championship was confirmed, seven months after giving him the boot.
The decision to replace him with Wayne Rooney in October, described as “the worst managerial decision in the history of football”, will be seen as a major milestone in the club’s history as they move up to the Third Division for the first time in 29 years.
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Birmingham went into the final day of the season with a glimmer of hope of survival under returning manager Gary Rowett, but a 1-0 home win over Norwich was still not enough as the other teams at risk also won – ensuring their safety and condemning the Blues to League One.
One such club was Blackburn who, under new boss Eustace, beat recently crowned league champions Leicester City 2-0 on the final day to beat the drop.
Everything could have been so different for Birmingham, with the team sitting in sixth place when its new owners, Knighthead Capital Management – which includes NFL icon Tom Brady – decided to get rid of Eustace as manager and call on English legend Rooney. replacement.
But it all went wrong very quickly, with the former striker winning just two of his 15 matches in charge, which saw the team drop 14 places in the league before he was sacked.
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A month later, Tony Mowbray was brought in to replace him, but after just a week on the job he was placed on medical leave due to ill health.
Once again club bosses failed to act quickly, with Rowett eventually appointed as caretaker manager a month later, by which time there were only eight games left of the season.
Things improved with the former Blues boss returning to the helm, finishing the campaign with 11 points from a possible 24, but the damage was already done.
Eustace, meanwhile, was hired by Blackburn in February with the mission of keeping Rovers in the division.
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He has won just two of his 16 games in charge, but points gained from nine draws mean they will be in the Championship next season.
The irony of coming into Ewood Park and keeping Blackburn in the division, while the team that sacked him went down, was lost on no one – and Eustace says he takes no pleasure in seeing his former relegated club.
And the coach’s little Freudian slip during his post-match interview with talkSPORT perhaps shows just how little time it has taken for everything to go pear-shaped at St Andrew’s since his exit.
“My job is to step in and make sure Blackburn Rovers stay in the league, that’s all I was worried about,” Eustace said.
“Look, I didn’t want Birmingham to collapse, it’s a club close to my heart and I’ve got fantastic friends there and they’ve got fantastic players there too.
“It’s a shame they went down, but all I was focused on was keeping Birmingham in the league, sorry, Blackburn in the league.”
Listening to Eustace’s comments after the match, it is also clear that he is instilling in his players a mentality that Birmingham have been lacking since his departure.
“I’m very proud of their efforts since I’ve been here,” he said of his Blackburn players.
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“With the ups and downs, no one got carried away. Previously, we might have been in “victim mode,” which people like to put themselves in when things aren’t going well.
“But we have fighters in the locker room and that’s something I really tried to impress upon the boys: we are fighters and not victims.
“It’s pretty easy to feel sorry for yourself, the things that happen off the field and people doubting us, but not this group. I am very proud of them.
“It’s been a huge effort from everyone, from the squad of players we have, to perform the way they did and to reach 53 points, it’s a sensational achievement, and the only The way to do this is to stay together and stay connected.
“I said from day one that I needed the players, staff and fans to stay connected, and there was never any doubt on my part.
“Working with the players we have here every day, they are the best players to work with and their level of commitment is there.
“At the end of the day you get what you deserve and we deserve to stay in the league.”
While Eustace wasn’t happy about Birmingham’s demise, one man was: former Aston Villa captain Gabby Agbonlahor, who arrived at talkSPORT Towers with a bottle of champagne to pop after the confirmation of their relegation.
Football can be cruel.
