Birmingham City must spend and build, says Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips wants Birmingham City to make new signings this summer and avoid emulating his former club Sunderland in failing to build on their initial success in the Premier League.
Phillips can expect a warm welcome when he returns to the Stadium Of Light for Saturday's Premier League clash after twice helping the Black Cats to seventh-place finishes in the top flight.
But Phillips feels a lack of investment at that juncture cost Sunderland and they were relegated two years later. And he is hoping Blues will take advantage of a successful first season back amongst the elite and bring in more quality players.
Phillips said: "I felt the second season we finished seventh at Sunderland, we needed to go out and spend £10-15 million on three or four players.
"I believe if that had happened, it would have made us a consistent Premier League team for a long time. But it never happened and the next year we struggled - and the season after we got relegated. I just hope Birmingham don't go down that same route.
"I believe with the manager here (Alex McLeish), and the funds we have here, that won't happen. The manager resisted in January spending ridiculous money.
"He believed he had enough in the squad to stay in the league and it is going to be an exciting summer for the Blues fans out there to see who comes in.
"I think this club will attract top players with the manager we have got and owners who seem ambitious.
"I don't think in the summer the manager needs to being six or seven players here, just three or four top-class players, and then you are looking at a quality Birmingham side who can stay in the Premier League for a long, long time."
Birmingham are in contention for a Europa League spot after defying the pre-season claims of bookmakers and pundits who were predicting a quickfire return to the Coca-Cola Championship.
