Former Birmingham City captain Paul Robinson has issued a firm challenge to the current squad, urging them to address their dismal away form as they prepare for a crucial Championship fixture at Swansea City.
A decade since a defining moment
It has been exactly ten years since Robinson scored his last professional goal, a header in a 3-0 away victory at Derby County on January 16, 2016. That win, under manager Gary Rowett, was emblematic of a resilient side that secured seven away victories that season and finished tenth.
Robinson, who made 747 career appearances before retiring in 2018, is now contrasting that past resilience with the current team's struggles. Under head coach Chris Davies, Birmingham have managed just two wins in 13 away matches this season, with no league victory on the road in their last seven attempts.
Robinson's diagnosis of the travel sickness
Speaking to BirminghamLive, the former defender identified the issue as both tactical and mental. "The away form’s never been good. It was never good when I was there," Robinson admitted. "The home form, yes, because you have your twelfth man behind you... But the players now they've got to step up and take that away from home."
He suggested the need for potential changes in formation and a stronger collective mentality to withstand pressure at hostile grounds. "It will be a mentality issue," he stated, emphasising that players must take the manager's clear instructions onto the pitch and take personal responsibility during difficult periods in games.
The January transfer window imperative
With the season on a knife-edge and the club's ambitious owners targeting Premier League football, Robinson highlighted the January transfer window as critical for reinforcement. While noting the arrival of Kai Wagner from Philadelphia Union, he stressed more is needed across the pitch.
"What does the transfer window look for Birmingham now and what players do they add to the squad to make it better?" Robinson asked. "If you're going to go for it this year, then January is a big window to improve the squad." He called for additions in wide areas, attack, central defence, and midfield to build a squad capable of withstanding the kind of pressure his team overcame a decade ago.
As Birmingham travel to south Wales, the message from a club icon is clear: the players must find the resilience of old, and the club must back them with strategic signings to revive their faltering campaign.
