Savage banished to Blues reserves
Robbie Savage has been relegated to the reserves by Birmingham manager Steve Bruce following his transfer request.
But Blues chairman David Gold is hoping the Welsh international will do a U-turn and withdraw his transfer request within the next few days.
Savage will line-up at the ground of non-league Solihull Borough for Thursday’s Premiership Reserve League North meeting with Newcastle.
Savage also trained away from the first team on Wednesday although many of the players were on a day off after the previous night’s Premiership defeat by Bolton.
It is a strong indication that Bruce is prepared to take a hard-line stance with Savage after he handed in his transfer request on Monday.
In fairness, Savage may have needed a game to preserve his match fitness anyway, as he is suspended for Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Leeds after incurring five bookings.
But Bruce has intimated that he is only interested in players fully committed to Blues and feels Savage does not fit that criteria any longer now he wants a move.
And it is clear that Savage will be not be moving during January unless Blackburn meet their valuation of the player after having already had two bids rejected.
Bruce said: “I want people who show a pride in the club and are willing to demonstrate that. I’m only interested in people who want to play for me, the team and the club.
“But, I repeat once again, Robbie Savage has a valuation – and if that valuation is not met, he is going nowhere.”
Gold is hoping that 30-year-old Savage, who signed a new four-year deal last summer, will reconsider his stance and withdraw his transfer request.
He said: “I can give you plenty of bad scenarios but I am an optimist and I am hoping for the good scenario of Robbie weighing up all the pros and cons and saying ‘I’m withdrawing my transfer request.’
“I will attempt to try and get him to do that. Maybe we will have the scenario where he says ‘I’ve made a terrible mistake, I’ve been ill advised and you can depend on me for the foreseeable future.’
“We are all hurt by this but we are keeping our fingers crossed that everything will come out okay in the end.”
Gold is also aware that it would be impossible for City to replace Savage with a player of similar quality by the end of January.
He said: “We are being asked to replace one of the best central midfield players of his type in the country in Robbie Savage in three weeks. It’s impossible. It can’t be done.”
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