![\"Brian](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/briandick.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBirmingham City are down to the bare bones in the full back position – while one of last season’s players has regained his international berth<\/p>\n
Football Correspondent for Reach, journalist covering the Premier League and EFL for more than 20 years, a lover of most non-animal based or traffic-related sports and extreme cold water.<\/p>\n
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Diego Gonzalez is tackled by Lee Myung Jae during the international friendly between South Korea and Paraguay at Seoul World Cup Stadium on October 14, 2025 in Seoul(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Birmingham City made a couple of ‘see us through’ signings in the January transfer window, players who came in, didn’t feature much but were there for depth.<\/p>\n
Grant Hanley was one, the veteran centre back who arrived on a short-term contract to make sure Blues <\/a>didn’t repeat the Kevin Long error of the previous year when they left themselves short-handed at the back.<\/p>\n Hanley did what he was asked to do – which was mostly come on late in games and see things out – pretty well. There was, though, barely any talk of the 33-year-old remaining at St Andrew’s in the Championship.<\/p>\n After 14 League One appearances for the club, 11 off the bench, he moved on and signed a two-year deal at Hibernian.<\/p>\n Hanley has started four of Hibs’ six Premiership matches so far this term and continues to play an important role for Scotland.<\/p>\n The centre back played the full 90 minutes in the 3-1 win over Greece, embellished by another Lyndon Dykes late show<\/a>, but stayed on the bench for the 2-1 win over Belarus.<\/p>\n The Scots have a chance of going to the World Cup in North America next summer and Hanley has a chance of making the trip.<\/p>\n Blues’ other insurance signing was the little known South Korean Lee Myung-jae who had played all but one season of his long career in the K-League.<\/p>\n When Lee Buchanan suffered a distressing knee injury just after Christmas, Blues needed a back up to Alex Cochrane. Still do in some ways.<\/p>\n They turned to a 31-year-old South Korean international who signed from Ulsan HD and joined compatriot Paik Seung-ho in Chris Davies’ squad.<\/p>\n Unfortunately he rarely joined him on the pitch and it was more than two months before he was seen, for the final 20 minutes of the 0-0 draw with Crawley Town.<\/p>\n He made his first of just two starts six days later and turned in a very good display, only for Cochrane to replace him and score the winner.<\/p>\n For what it was worth Lee started the final match of the season, a 2-1 win at Cambridge, and put in a man of the match display.<\/a><\/p>\n With Buchanan out long term it didn’t seem ridiculous to suggest Lee be retained for another season if only as cover to Cochrane.<\/p>\n In the end that didn’t happen, though it still doesn’t seem as though it was the world’s worst idea, and he returned to his homeland.<\/p>\n Lee signed for Daejeon Hana, who are third and for whom he has played regularly enough to return to the South Korea squad.<\/p>\n The left back won his eighth cap in the 2-2 draw with Mexico last month and has today played in the 2-0 win over Paraguay, sending in a dangerous cross from the left that led to Eom Ji-Sung opening goal.<\/p>\n Paik, who came off the bench in the 5-0 hammering by Brazil at the weekend, remained safely out of harm’s way among the substitutes.<\/p>\n For Lee, though, his few months in Birmingham feel like a ghost of a memory as Davies once again continues to rely on the fitness of Cochrane with virtually no cover.<\/p>\n It’s only fair to admit we don’t know if Blues threw everything they could at Lee to tempt him to stay – but if they didn’t at least ask the question they could have taken an avoidable risk.<\/p>\n Would you have liked Lee to stay at Blues? Have your say here<\/a><\/p>\n Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package<\/p>\n This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more<\/a> \u00a349<\/p>\n \u00a335<\/p>\n Sky<\/p>\n![\"Content](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1755016403_380_0_Sky-Factbox.jpg\")
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