Is Birmingham job Garry Monk’s most challenging of his career?

Follow us on Google Discover

Birmingham City boss Garry Monk is gearing up for a relegation battle with the Midlands club.

Garry Monk is a few games into his run as Birmingham City manager, and while back-to-back losses were not exactly the dream scenario for the Englishman, there are signs that the Blues will be able to make some progress with him at the helm.

Their defeat to Cardiff City at the weekend was certainly a disappointing pill to swallow for the club, but the fact that they managed to come back from 3-0 down to only lose 3-2 is a big sign of renewed resilience, which is an element we did not see under Steve Cotterill towards the end of his reign.

Monk knows the challenge that faces him, and when you look at his resume as a manager, he has been involved in some tricky situations in the past.

Swansea City

While Monk had spent well over a decade as part of the Swansea family, he was facing an uphill battle in 2014 when given the task of keeping the Welsh side in the Premier League. From a pressure perspective, this likely was not too much of an issue considering it was his first major job in management, and given that he likely knew the squad inside out, their survival probably was not as shocking to those inside the club.

Verdict: Less Challenging

Leeds United

The position of Leeds United manager has been a poisoned chalice for years now, and despite the club having the right kind of stature to mount a serious promotion push, nobody could have expected just how quickly things would turn around under Monk. With a one-year rolling contract this was always going to be a gamble, and after overachieving in his one and only campaign, Monk’s time there should not be considered a failure.

Verdict: Less Challenging

Middlesbrough

The expectations have always been high at the Riverside ever since they first ventured into the Premier League. The Boro were looking for an immediate return to the top flight after relegation last season, but despite that, Monk’s six months with the club do not really stack up to the momentous task of keeping Birmingham City Football Club from dropping into League One.

Verdict: Less Challenging