"Well-liked" - Pundit reacts as Garry Cook makes big Gary Rowett call at Birmingham City | OneFootball

EFL Pundit and former England international Carlton Palmer has said that Birmingham City’s appointment of Gary Rowett is the right call.

Birmingham confirmed the appointment of Rowett on Tuesday evening, on a short-term deal until the end of the season, with the objective of avoiding relegation to League One.

Tony Mowbray had been appointed in January but has been away from the club due to medical issues.

This move the club has said ‘will allow Mowbray to focus 100% on being with his family and making a full recovery following his recent health challenges’.

Mowbray will then come back to the club in pre-season once he has recovered, ahead of the start of next season.

Rowett had previously taken charge of the Blues from October 2014 until December 2016. He was last managing with Millwall, before leaving by mutual consent last October.

The Blues are currently sitting in 21st place, and are outside of the relegation zone on goal difference.

Palmer gives verdict on Birmingham City's appointment of Rowett

Palmer exclusively told FLW: “Birmingham City have appointed a popular former manager, Gary Rowett, on a short-term basis until the end of the season.

“It is believed that Tony Mowbray, who is taking some time away from the football club due to medical issues, won’t return to the club until pre-season. It is believed that Tony Mowbray was given his input into who they should bring in in the short term.

“Birmingham sit just outside the bottom three on 39 points, losing five out of their last six games, and this has all coincided with them sacking John Eustace and bringing Wayne Rooney in, and that was disastrous.

“I think Tony Mowbray has had a big impact on Gray Rowett returning to the club. I think it is the right call, and hopefully Gary will be able to galvanise the squad and be able to get them enough points to stay in the division. It is a real scrap at the bottom, with Sheffield Wednesday on 38, Huddersfield on 39, Birmingham on 39, Queens Park Rangers on 40, Stoke City on 41, Plymouth with 41, and Blackburn Rovers on 42.

“I would say all the way up to Millwall on 43 points, any one of those six sides could find themselves relegated. So it is a good call for Birmingham City, they can’t afford to just coast to the end of the season and hope that they stay in the division. It’s a good call and we know that Gary is well-liked by the supporters and his experience hopefully will be good enough to keep them in the division.”

Rowett given chance to prove himself at St Andrew’s once again

Rowett now makes a sensational return to St Andrew’s, having previously managed the club.

He left unexpectedly back in 2016, having been sacked despite having them just outside the play-off places at the time.

The 50-year-old also previously played for Birmingham from 1998 until 2000, so it is a club he holds in high regard.

He was last in charge at Millwall having been there for four years, before leaving with the Lions wanting to go in a different direction.

That move tarnished his reputation slightly, so if he can keep Birmingham up convincingly, he will be in with a shout for many jobs in the summer.