Many’sleeping giants’ in English football have found themselves in need of a complete rebuilding over time in order to relive their glory days.

In this regard, Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday, and Sunderland come to mind quickly. However, it is fair to say that the makeovers of both ancient teams received less attention than Birmingham City’s redevelopment under Knighthead Capital.

Tom Wagner was hailed as a savior for his initial investment in St. Andrew’s at Knighthead Park in July 2023, before formally breaking any ties with a contentious period of Far-East ownership with a full takeover last November.

Even though the American’s first season in the B9 boardroom ended in chaos and disappointment with relegation to League One, the New York-based hedge fund investor’s status remained unaltered, fueling his ambition to succeed.

Then followed Chris Davies’ appointment, which was and remains the 40-year-old’s first full-time managing position.

With several other high-profile names associated to the position, it was a risk, but one well worth taking, as his side cruised to the League One title with 111 points despite significant investment.

As a result, the Championship would be the true ‘acid test’ for Davies and his squad, especially as many anticipate the West Midlands club to continue riding the crest of a wave and potentially imitate Ipswich Town’s recent success of two consecutive promotions.

However, while Wagner is still held in high regard in these parts as he recovers from a recent stroke, his summer statements may have caused an issue, resulting in some sack calls for Davies.

Tom Wagner set exceedingly high expectations for Birmingham City’s Championship return.

Wagner, of course, has been the driving force behind numerous advancements at St. Andrew’s since his original takeover.

The Powerhouse Stadium, with a capacity of 62,000, will surely be the focal point of the Sports Quarter regeneration project in East Birmingham.

With the Blues owner joined on the board by NFL ‘GOAT’ and Advisory Board Chairman Tom Brady, the team has received unprecedented attention.

During the early weeks of Birmingham’s single season in League One, Wagner stated that he hoped to see the team return to the Premier League by 2026, which would need back-to-back promotions.

Despite a flurry of expenditure during the summer, his aspirations remained unchanged as he laid out his plans for the current season while detailing his long-term vision after the Sports Quarter development was essentially approved in June.

When asked about the possibility of a double-quick promotion, Wagner told BBC Sport, “(that) is certainly the goal.”

Chris Davies has been the subject of dismissal calls amid significant Birmingham City pressures.

With the weight of expectation on his shoulders, Davies has faced sacking calls at various periods during the season.

Indeed, with there now just over one month of the campaign to go, it has been a heated topic of conversation as to whether he will stay in the dugout next term, or whether Knighthead will regard a ‘consolidatory’ campaign as a failure.

This would not be the first choice of this nature to divide opinion in recent years, with Hull City’s Turkish owner, Acun Ilicali, ending Liam Rosenior’s stint at the MKM Stadium in May 2024 after the Tigers lost out on a play-off spot by three points.

Blues’ owners also earned a ruthless reputation in their early days, when John Eustace was controversially fired in October 2023, with the club sixth in the Championship, in place of Wayne Rooney, who won only two of his 15 games in charge.

Under normal circumstances, a position of 10th with 53 points from 38 games played, with a slim probability of making the top six dependent on outcomes, would be considered fairly successful for a freshly promoted squad.

However, with their lofty objectives and significant investment – as seen in January – it is evident that Birmingham are a club that is no longer content with ‘normal’, instead trying to be the best in class, which may prove negative in some cases.