Chris Davies is transforming his Birmingham City team this summer.
Tommy Doyle has been called the ‘signing of the summer’, while Kyogo Furuhashi has moved to St. Andrew’s.
Jay Stansfield wants the club to break their transfer record once again, but there has been a focus on improving other areas of the pitch including the defence with Eiran Cashin set to join Blues in the coming days.
However, in the last few days there has been one notable departure, with supporters bidding farewell to Alfie May, who has joined Huddersfield Town. Now, his ex-manager has spoken out about his sale.
Chris Davies opens up on Alfie May’s Birmingham City exit
Having only signed for Birmingham last season, May’s departure may have come as a bit of a shock but it is clear to see that the West Midlands outfit have incredibly high aspirations.
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Yet, the conversation between Davies and the striker was incredibly difficult. Blues’ manager said (via: Birmingham Live): “It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve made, or situations, since I’ve been here. I’ve got great thanks to Alfie for his service to the club and what he did for us as a team and the way he worked for me as a manager.
“I’ve had 60 games as a manager so far and Alfie has been involved in 57 of them – more than anyone else – and he was a star for us in terms of coming through right from the very start of that season.
“He was a big player on and off the pitch. I had an honest conversation with Alfie around the future and the respect for him. I said, ‘We would never ever push you out and we value you immensely but the game time, because of some of the players we’ve signed, can’t be guaranteed so it’s more your decision. Where do you want to go with this?’
“And Alfie is one that just wants to play football. That’s why we all love him. He just wants to play and score goals. That’s what he said to me. He knew that if he wasn’t going to be guaranteed that then he wanted to go elsewhere and pretty much every manager and chairman in League One was probably desperate for him to go there and Huddersfield got him.
“He leaves with the greatest admiration and respect from me. I know the owners and the club value him a lot. He will go down as a cult legend at the club, even though it was just a one-year spell, but I think it’s a sign of the progress and direction we’re taking forward. Alfie’s situation is indicative of that.”
Davies concluded: “What I would say is we would never force a player like that out who has done so well for us. It’s a case of, if they really think they need to go and play they will be allowed to go and do that.”
Alfie May has made the correct decision
Although deciding to sell May was tough, it is the best situation for all parties, and he now has the opportunity to get the game time he needs at this point in his career.
He is also 32, and Birmingham have realised that if they are to be pushing for a top six finish, the striker may not have a place in their squad.
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Ultimately, Huddersfield are the true winners out of this deal, and there is no denying that the Terriers will be one of the favourites for the League One title.
Nevertheless, there will be questions as to whether Blues have made the right decision as May could have done a job in the Championship, but the player himself has made the correct choice in his destination.