Birmingham City considering move for Bradford City boss Mark Hughes?

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 13 May 2023

Birmingham considering move for Bradford boss Hughes?

Birmingham City may reportedly make an approach for Bradford City boss Mark Hughes if a takeover of the club goes through as expected.

Bradford City boss Mark Hughes has reportedly emerged as a target for Birmingham City.

After over three years out of the dugout, Hughes surprisingly made the move to Valley Parade in February 2022, tasked with securing promotion to League One.

While the 59-year-old and his squad missed out on a top-three spot in League Two, they secured their place in the playoffs on the final week of the season.

As it stands, Hughes is currently preparing to take the Yorkshire outfit into a two-legged semi-final with Carlisle United, the winner of that tie meeting either Stockport County or Salford City.

Birmingham City manager John Eustace reacts on March 14, 2023 © Reuters

However, according to Football Insider, it remains unclear whether Hughes will remain in the Bradford dugout past the end of this season.

The report claims that Blues' expected new owners - a consortium led by Tom Wagner - are keen to bring in former Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook.

Discussions behind the scenes have seemingly led to Hughes, who was at City during Cook's stint at the Etihad Stadium, becoming a contender to replace John Eustace.

That is despite it being widely accepted that Eustace produced an admirable effort in securing a 17th-placed finish with Birmingham in the Championship during 2022-23.

Birmingham City manager John Eustace waves at fans after the match on February 10, 2023 © Reuters

Despite losing their final three games, the West Midlands outfit ended the campaign nine points clear of the relegation zone, recording the club's joint-best finish in the second tier in seven years.

Nevertheless, it appears that ending the season on a low note, when Wagner was in attendance, may contribute to a change in direction at Birmingham.

With regards to Hughes, the legendary Welshman is unlikely to make any decisions on his future until the end of the playoffs, the first leg versus Carlisle being staged on Sunday night.

Hughes's current deal at Bradford, where he has recorded 27 wins and 19 defeats among his 66 games in charge, is due to expire at the end of next season.