Troy Deeney delivers positive Birmingham City outlook

Birmingham City are a side looking for lots of improvement on the pitch this year after a disappointing campaign saw them finish 20th in the league last season.

Since the end of the season, Lee Bowyer has been dismissed of his duties and replaced with John Eustace, who has brought some new faces into the club in the hope that they will help the Blues push on next season.

There are still plenty of work to be done at St Andrew’s with the squad still looking small and off the pitch events still ongoing.

However, captain Troy Deeney is looking forward to the challenge, as he told Birmingham World: “I like where we are in terms of the underdog mentality. That’s what I grew up on.

“I’m comfortable, fit, and happy. It’s just about getting started now and have a tear up.

“Everybody has already written us off. They’re saying that we deserve to go down, that we’re going to finish bottom. All those things. Well it’s a free hit then. Let’s go and prove everybody wrong. And when we do prove everybody wrong, how great will that be?”

Deeney was keen to give credit to the new manager, too, as Eustace looks to take on his first season as a first team manager. Speaking on the difference the change in staff has made, Deeney said: “It’s night and day.

“I don’t want to be disrespectful but it’s clear and obvious to anyone who was here last year who seen the mood around the place. It’s very easy to say in pre-season with no games played. If we lose a couple it could change. But I think being inclusive with everybody, making sure they’re all involved.

“We’re all together, we go through the shape together.

“Today we got the work in. Everyone is involved and we all know our jobs. If I have to fill in at left-back for some reason, I know exactly