Gary Rowett takes hilarious swipe at Birmingham City after recalling shock sacking

Gary Rowett has revisited his surprise Birmingham City dismissal in December 2016, revealing the hilarious response he gave when club officials informed him that his time at St Andrew’s was over.

The former Blues manager had made significant progress during his two years in charge, transforming the team from relegation candidates into a side challenging near the top end of the Championship. Despite that progress, Birmingham made the unexpected decision to sack him and appoint former Chelsea midfielder Gianfranco Zola.

Birmingham are enjoying a more settled period under Chris Davies, who has helped bring greater continuity to a club that endured years of managerial upheaval. However, Rowett’s departure remains one of the most debated decisions in the club’s recent history.

The 2016 dismissal was particularly surprising given Birmingham’s position in the table. Rowett had guided the team to seventh place, just three points behind third, following a 2-1 victory over Ipswich Town. The Blues had also suffered only two defeats in their previous seven matches.

Nevertheless, the club decided to make a change, with Zola appointed less than six hours after Rowett’s departure was announced.

The decision proved disastrous. Zola managed just two victories in 24 games before leaving the club, with Harry Redknapp subsequently brought in to help Birmingham secure Championship survival on the final day of the season.

Rowett has now offered a fresh insight into how he discovered his fate, explaining that he had no warning before meeting then-director Panos Pavlakis and chief executive Roger Lloyd.

Speaking on the Made in Brum podcast, he recalled how his wife encouraged him to attend the meeting rather than risk appearing disrespectful.

Upon entering the room, Rowett noticed that one of the officials was holding a piece of paper and appeared to be shaking. He immediately realised what was about to happen.

Recalling the moment, Rowett admitted that he had not expected the dismissal, although he understood that his position could potentially go either way.

He then revealed the sarcastic response he delivered to the club’s hierarchy after learning that he was being dismissed.

“It was probably a bit arrogant of me, but I said, ‘What are you sacking me for, winning too many games?’” Rowett explained.

His response reflected the frustration surrounding a decision that came despite Birmingham’s encouraging league position and recent results.

Birmingham repeated the mistake with John Eustace

Rowett’s departure was not the last time Birmingham faced criticism for dismissing a manager who appeared to be exceeding expectations.

John Eustace was shown the door in October 2023 despite guiding the Blues into the Championship play-off places. Following the club’s takeover by Knighthead, Birmingham opted to replace him with Wayne Rooney, whose reputation as a player far outweighed his managerial achievements at that stage.

The appointment quickly backfired, with Rooney recording just two wins in 15 matches before leaving the club. Birmingham subsequently found themselves dragged into a relegation battle and ultimately suffered relegation to League One.

The similarities between the Rowett and Eustace dismissals continue to fuel debate among supporters about the club’s previous managerial decisions.

While Birmingham are now looking to build stability under Davies, Rowett’s latest comments have reopened the conversation about a controversial chapter in the club’s history.