Sheffield Wednesday-courted coach James Beattie leaves Birmingham City

Sheffield Wednesday-linked first-team coach James Beattie has left Birmingham City.
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Owls boss Garry Monk has made no secret of his desire to add Beattie to his backroom staff since he joined the club in September last year. The Wednesday boss worked alongside Beattie at St Andrews and revealed in November that the former Sheffield United player had been ‘working from home’ since Monk had left the club.

Much has been made of the fact that only tactical analyst Ryan Needs has been added to the Wednesday backroom team since the manager’s arrival.

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Speaking during the lockdown period first team coach Lee Bullen commented on the situation, saying it was ‘mad’ that Birmingham had yet to release Beattie and revealed that there had been a standoff between the two clubs over compensation.

Garry Monk and James Beattie worked together at Birmingham City.Garry Monk and James Beattie worked together at Birmingham City.
Garry Monk and James Beattie worked together at Birmingham City.

“Wednesday weren't willing to pay compensation and Birmingham weren't willing to release the lad so he's been twiddling his thumbs,” he said.

“He's still getting paid by Birmingham, which is mad.

“An opportunity could have come up to let the lad go, Birmingham would have saved money and the lad could have been involved.

“But at the moment it's Garry, myself, Neil Thompson and Nicky Weaver.

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“We've got a good group of lads that work together, but I wouldn't be surprised if at some point James Beattie joined the group.”

Goalkeeping coach Darryl Flahavan and head of physical performance Sean Rush also left the Midlands club yesterday. In a statement Birmingham paid tribute to the trio’s professionalism in what they described as a ‘testing time’.

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