MX23RW : Sunday, September 29 15:26:51| >> :120:19957:19957:

Birmingham City 'want Aitor Karanka as new manager'

Blues are searching for a new boss after Pep Clotet's departure.

Aitor Karanka remains Birmingham's first choice to become their new manager but the club have spoken to other contenders, including former Leeds boss Paul Heckingbottom.

Ex-Middlesbrough head coach Karanka wants assurances over the club's long-term goals, the PA news agency understands.

Karanka was previously close to becoming Birmingham manager in 2017, only to turn the job down over concerns about their project.

Birmingham turned their attention to Karanka after an ambitious move for Slavisa Jokanovic failed.

The former Fulham and Watford boss quickly rejected an approach from the Sky Bet Championship club.

Birmingham continue to hold an interest in Charlton's Lee Bowyer as they search for Pep Clotet's replacement.

Heckingbottom has also been spoken to, with the former Barnsley manager out of work since leaving Hibernian in November.

The 43-year-old was at Easter Road for just nine months but impressed during his time at Barnsley, guiding them to promotion to the Championship in 2016 and finishing in mid-table a year later before joining Leeds.

Wigan boss Paul Cook is interested in the vacancy and Blues also enquired about how much compensation the Latics, who are appealing against their 12-point deduction which will otherwise see them relegated to League One, were after.

Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler confirmed he has applied for the job having left Brisbane Roar in June.

Karanka is available having left Nottingham Forest in January 2019 after a year at the City Ground.

He took Middlesbrough to the Premier League in 2016 and spent three and a half years at the Riverside having previously been Jose Mourinho's assistant at Real Madrid.

Birmingham survived in the Championship this term, finishing two points above the drop zone.

They failed to win any of their final 14 league games and the club announced in June Clotet would leave at the end of the season.

The 43-year-old ultimately left early, after a 3-1 defeat to Swansea this month, with first-team coach Craig Gardner and professional development coach Steve Spooner in charge for the final four matches.

ID:407813: cacheID:407813:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3432:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Jude Bellingham in action for Birmingham City on July 1, 2020
Read Next:
Steve Spooner: 'Sky is the limit for Jude Bellingham'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
6pm
Rams
@
Bears
6pm
Eagles
@
Buccaneers
6pm
Steelers
@
Colts
6pm
Saints
@
Falcons
6pm
Broncos
@
Jets
6pm
Vikings
@
Packers
6pm
Bengals
@
Panthers
6pm
Jags
@
Texans
9.05pm
Patriots
@
49ers
9.05pm
Washington
@
Cardinals
9.25pm
Chiefs
@
Chargers
9.25pm
Browns
@
Raiders
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Birmingham CityBirmingham7610168819
2Wrexham8521146817
3Lincoln CityLincoln7421126614
4Blackpool84221613314
5Mansfield TownMansfield74211311214
6Barnsley84221311214
7Wycombe WanderersWycombe74121411313
8Charlton AthleticCharlton841376113
9Stockport CountyStockport7331117412
10Huddersfield TownHuddersfield84041210212
11Stevenage832365111
12Peterborough UnitedPeterborough83231414011
13Exeter CityExeter731386210
14Bolton WanderersBolton7313911-210
15Reading7313911-210
16Wigan AthleticWigan82336519
17Northampton TownNorthampton722389-18
18Leyton Orient8224911-28
19Rotherham UnitedRotherham8143610-47
20Crawley TownCrawley7214510-57
21Bristol Rovers8215713-67
22Burton Albion7043813-54
23Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury8116613-74
24Cambridge UnitedCambridge7016615-91


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!