When Barry Ferguson was brought to Birmingham last summer, many thought he was a panic buy from manager Alex McLeish, and it was questioned by some because of his behavior for the Scottish national team.
Ferguson was signed for reported fee in the region of £1.2 million from Rangers, which now seems like it’s already paid for itself.
He was thought to be a signing for a newly promoted team, to just add depth to a squad seeking survival. However Birmingham have surprised a lot of people this season, sitting in ninth place, having occupied the top half of the league for the majority of the season.
Ferguson’s only other stint in the Premier League was with Blackburn Rovers, where he was reported to have had a poor spell with Lancashire side – however, many don’t take into account the injury problems he suffered at Blackburn.
Not only Birmingham supporters, but the neutral fan of the beautiful game cannot deny how much Ferguson has brought to this Birmingham team. His game may be simple but football is a simple game. His role is pivotal for the team, as much as a striker or winger can provide. The way Ferguson can win the ball, cover defenders and play a simple passing game, influences the Birmingham team to play attractive but yet passionate football.
Most Birmingham fans will remember the old days, watching unattractive ‘hoof’ it football, which has always been the norm as a fan of the club. However under McLeish he has encouraged us to play attractive football, and this is partly due to Ferguson who is one of the main players able to dictate the play.
Ferguson has brought the simple passing game to the team, which is attractive to watch for any fan. This may seem a small contribution, but this encourages others to play the game we love to see and brings confidence to the Birmingham team.
His combination with Lee Bowyer in the heart of the Birmingham midfield has brought a real passion to the team this season.
The two have influenced the other players to make things happen on the ball, creating much more freedom within the team, making it much more of an attacking presence with the confidence of having a holding midfielder in Ferguson to cover and protect the Blues’ back line.
This is clear with the number of clean sheets the defence has kept this season, and how hard the Birmingham team is to beat in the Premier League – only one of the top ten teams have beaten Birmingham at St Andrews, and with results like that, it’s no wonder they sit in the top half of the best league in the world.
By Nick Gregson-Jones
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