Far East tour breaks new ground for Birmingham City
Birmingham City’s Far East adventure has broken new ground for a pre-season tour.
Not only have Blues been ensconced in a new environment and culture halfway around the world, but they have been unable to hide themselves away.
Normally a manager would like a training camp to be closer to home, to have restricted access to public, sponsors and the media.
Yet now Carson Yeung is at the helm, it’s a whole new ball game for Blues.
Aside from the friendlies – Blues’ final game is in Shenyang against Liaoning Hongyun on Saturday – management, coaches and players have been regularly popping up into the spotlight.
Such has been the desire to see Yeung’s side close up, and the demand for information, Alex McLeish has not barred the local media from Blues’ training sessions.
Interview requests have been accommodated, as have commercial and PR activities.
Blues players have visited a shopping mall in Hong Kong, dutifully attended a big charity dinner and been on hand to help at the Chinese launch of the 2010-11 kit in Beijing.
Six of McLeish’s squad have been detailed for a photoshoot for Xtep, the kit suppliers, for their sports and leisurewear brochure and television advertising campaigns.
Blues have generally trained twice a day and McLeish has regularly made it clear that the football side of things must come first.
But McLeish also understands the importance of Blues promoting themselves in order to help Yeung establish the club as a significant player in the world’s biggest market.
Even when they did the tourist bit – a visit to the Forbidden City – it projected the club positively.
In Hong Kong, Yeung’s home, it was a winning start on the pitch and that also mattered for the tycoon, who has been building a considerable power base business-wise and in the football scene there.
Barcelona have a link up with the Hong Kong FA, an Academy-style coaching camp. But Yeung’s patronage – he donated 1.25 million Hong Hong dollars to the association – suggests that he desires Blues to start muscling in.
In Beijing, the locals tell you that if Blues want to really take a giant step in the popularity stakes, they need to sign a Chinese player.
Blues have looked at those available before, but have found none to the required standard. Work permit issues complicate matters too.
It may well come to pass that Blues do bring in a Chinese or a key Asia star to the ranks. And that would, again, be a landmark in the club history that has entered a significant era.
> MORE: Beijing Guoan 0 Birmingham City 1, at the Olympic Stadium, Beijing
