Transfer window fiasco

It looks like Olivier Bernard is joining Southampton. We agreed a fee with Newcastle last week and then - nothing. The player confirmed yesterday that he'd heard nothing from Blues, and I know precisely why. Around the time we agreed the fee, the Bellamy situation came to a head, and it looks increasingly likely that Blues have frittered away the last few days of the transfer window pursuing a pie-in-the-sky transfer.

Steve Bruce appears to have lost the plot big time at Blues again. Trying to bring in the likes of Bellamy to a fledgling Premiership side like ours when what we've been crying out for is more strength in depth in midfield or defence smacks of a manager still hungover by his failure to land the Newcastle job earlier this season. One minute he's complaining that no one can catch the big five, and then he convinces his board to launch fairy tale bids for players instead of scouting around looking for January bargians.

The Jermaine Penant move also appears on hold - we only have one Premiership loan signing left, and it appears the club's reaction to being snubbed over a permanent move is to launch a bid for Bellamy on loan, at the same time as he's talking to Celtic about moving there instead. There was even a rumour that we were trying to convert the Salif Diao loan deal into a permanent one, presumably to accomodate both Bellamy and Penant. Salif Diao, who played one match for us before getting injured.

A message to Birmingham City. Our ineptitude in the transfer window could well see us relegated. You have nine hours left before the window closes: abandon your foolhardy bid for Bellamy, hijack Bernard's move to Southampton (too late now - he'd never get from the South Coast to Brum in time to complete a medical) and see if there are any creative midfielders who can be prised away from their respective clubs...