Why have the two Birmingham teams massively underachieved over the years?
 

Everyone talks about England at International level, but nobody talks about how badly both Blues and Villa have actually done over the years of Football.

They're both second City teams with huge fanbases, they've both had some decent players over the years, and obviously in Villa's case they were successful in the 80's.

But given the fact that they're the only two Birmingham Football teams, Villa have won most of their trophies before any of us were even born, and we've won one major trophy in the League Cup and the Football League Trophy if we count the smaller Cups.

And in recent years we've been battling to stay away from League One, whilst Villa is celebrating finishing 11th last season in the Prem.

Why do you think that neither team has ever had an Abramovich or Man City type of takeover? The potential is there for both teams to do really well but it never seems to come together for either team all at once.

I know that's it's a weird time to open up a thread on this considering both teams have won their last game, but it in particular fascinates me to see teams like Burnley & Brighton being more successful than them both in recent times.

I think Brighton & Burnley have got their team identity and strategy in order (both seem defense first type of teams) + just enough good and reliable players to survive & occasionally thrive.

Aston Villa seems to be slowly getting into a solid standing, while Birmingham have somewhat lost it (due to multiple player, coaching team & team organisation etc. shifts)?

Also, Leicester, their tiny neighbour, has out performed them for years :hehe:

Anyway, Villa were a big team when i was in my 20's. So i still remember their success clearly

West Ham are only becoming big now for me personally, i found them quite underachieving before with inconsistent results

but now just a 2-1 loss against a giant team like Man City is not bad at all, especially away


i feel like this team of theirs could make it into next seasons CL group stage but only if they can keep this great form going of course


as for West Ham in Europa League, who knows if luck is on their side in the draws, and if they fight until the last second each game, maybe a semi final spot could happen, also with usual europa league contenders Shakhtar surprisingly not having made it into europa league from CL, anyone's game this year here

Birmingham need to take a look back at what made them successful (somewhat) and a good team before and try to replicate that.

Tbf Leicester's a big club in their own right.

Again it's surprising that they've only won one trophy really in recent times given the fact that they've had some big names playing for them over the years.

That is true tbf.

But I can't help but feel that even back then we were massively underachieving as a club, it's obviously better than what we're doing now, but this team was losing to teams that have smaller infrastructures than us even back in those days.

Low morale, low motivation & confidence?

Villa or on the up now

When you can't keep hold of your best players, it says a lot. It shows a lack of ambition at the club.

Grealish, a Brummie lad and a Villa fan and the club can't even keep a hold of him.

Birmingham has suffered about 15 years of bad ownership, while its better now then it was the owners are still not good enough

All of these things probably do play their part.

I'd also agree with Denver that our owners could be better, it's hard to tell if Lee Bowyer is gonna get sacked for not having us 19th in the table.:joker:

And I agree with Alf about Villa lacking ambition by selling players that could build them up into one of the top teams.

I agree with you.

Actually it's just about all the things you say and what Calderon says too.

I just long for and wish something really positive will happen soon to transform the situation.

A city the size of Birmingham, with a team named Birmingham.
Should be on of the most invested in and most successful of teams too.

I really hope fortunes will change for the better in the very near future.
Even just to help calm mine and Mock's nerves on matchdays.:joker:

They should have a word with the Saudi's down the road, get a few tips on how to get relegated even further :smug:

Newcastle can do better if they are allowed to buy new players