Formation, philosophy, man management - what it's like to play for new Birmingham City boss John Eustace

Birmingham City have appointed John Eustace as their new head coach. The former Coventry, Stoke, Watford and Derby midfielder has agreed a three-year contract and his appointment at St Andrew’s represents a big step-up for a man who is making waves as a coach but who has yet to fill his own Championship hot-seat.

Eustace arrives with a reputation as one of the game’s up and coming coaches, after working with the likes of Mark Warburton at Queen’s Park Rangers and Stephen Kenny with the Republic of Ireland. That growing profile had brought him to the attention of Swansea City last summer and Watford this – but it’s in his home town of Birmingham where he has decided to join the managerial rat-race.

He does so having had a 15-year playing career and had one crack at management so far. That was in the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 seasons at Kidderminster Harriers after they had just been relegated out of the National League and to the sixth tier of English football. Under Eustace the Aggborough outfit finished second and fourth, reached but didn’t come through the promotion play-offs and qualified for first round proper of the FA Cup in both years. His team also dubbed the Barcelona of non-league.

BirminghamLive spoke to James O’Connor, Kidderminster’s current assistant manager, who worked under Eustace for the second of those very successful seasons. The 37-year-old provided intriguing insight into Eustace’s methods and philosophies.

My main takeaway is I had just left Walsall, I was in between clubs, and he invited me in to train, I knew him from Derby where we crossed over as players. At the time I was a little bit apprehensive coming from League 1 but the minute I came through the door I was blown away by the standard