Birmingham City's stunning team they could name today had they kept their best players | OneFootball

What would the Blues' squad look like had they kept all their best players from the past ten years?

In football, particularly in the EFL, fans are often faced with the bittersweet reality of watching former players move on to greater opportunities. Some leave in obscurity, only to pop up later having realised their potential, while some simply outgrow the club, with stardom inevitable.

Birmingham City are a club who know this more than most. Whether it was Trevor Francis, who immediately won the European Cup with Forest following his historic move in 1979, or a more recent example that we will obviously get to, the West-Midlands side have seen plenty of talent leave their talons of the years.

Football League World has sought to answer an age-old hypothetical: had they not let go of their talents, what is the best possible side that Birmingham could assemble today?

Taking players exclusively from the last ten years at St. Andrew's (2014-15 season), and comprising what we believe to be the most high-quality current stars to have once donned the famous blue jersey. This includes both current players and loan signings.

GK - John Ruddy

Admittedly a pretty poor position on the whole for the Blues, John Ruddy gets the nod. Chris Davies and co. will be hoping one of the current crop soon exceeds the reputation of the 38-year-old.

An ever-present member of Norwich City's yo-yo side of the 2010s, John Ruddy has played over 120 games in England's top-flight, keeping 25 clean sheets.

Ruddy arrived at Birmingham from Wolves in 2022, joining the club at a turbulent time. 150 saves at a rate of over 70% was not enough to keep the Blues from being relegated to the third-tier. The shot-stopper from St Ives is currently enjoying a cushty life as Newcastle's No.2.

Unfortunately, in the twilight of his career, his lasting legacy may be as the man who conceded eleven goals to Luis Suárez in just four games.

RB - Yan Valery

The Tunisian international played just seven Championship games for the West Midlands club in 2021, but English fans may best remember him for his time at Southampton, and that wonder goal against Manchester United.

The right-back has enjoyed a modest career deviating between the top-two-tiers of both England and France. Having been relegated with Angers in 2023, Parisian-born Valery played a crucial role in the club's promotion back to Ligue 1 last campaign.

With top flight football on the cards, it was a surprise when Sheffield Wednesday managed to secure his services this summer. Valery has been a lock in Danny Röhl's side this season.

CB - Auston Trusty

The USA international was picked up by Arsenal in 2022 after impressing with MLS side Colorado Rapids.

It was from Arsenal that Birmingham acquired the temporary services of Auston Trusty on a one-year deal in August 2022. Standing at 6'3", Trusty was a menace in the box as he went on to score four times over the course of the season, including a bizarre back-heel flick from the edge of the box against QPR.

While goal scoring was a bonus, it was his defensive ability that earned him Birmingham Player of the Season upon the campaign's conclusion, and latterly a permanent move to newly promoted Sheffield United.

Despite emphatic relegation, Trusty did enough to earn a move to Celtic, where he is currently playing Champions League football.

CB - Teden Mengi

A recognised talent for almost a decade now, the 22-year-old centre-back has represented England at pretty much every youth-level.

Teden Mengi joined Birmingham in January 2022 on loan from parent club Manchester United. A so-so start, including a clean sheet versus Luton and a 6-2 loss to Fulham, was cut short in February when the young defender picked up a hamstring injury, keeping him out for all but 33 minutes of the campaign's remainder.

Much like Trusty, Mengi experienced relegation last season despite giving a decent account of himself at Luton Town, he is currently excelling during his second season at Kenilworth Road.

LB - Alex Cochrane

The first of two current players to make the list, 24-year-old English full-back Alex Cohrane is proving himself to be far too good for League One in his debut season at St. Andrew's.

Cochrane, who joined the Blues from Hearts in the summer, played 125 times for the Scottish side in three seasons, including two top-three finishes (something of a trophy in the SPL).

With the promise of continued exposure to European football, securing Cochrane's services was quite the coup for League One Birmingham.

Formerly of Brighton, Cochrane looks to have all the potential to become a Premier League fullback, though Tom Wagner and co. will be hoping that dream can be realised without leaving the West Midlands.

CDM - Krystian Bielik

Krystian Bielik, a versatile Polish defensive midfielder and centre-back, Bielik is enjoying his second spell at St. Andrew's, having been there on loan in 2016-17.

Bielik began his career with Legia Warsaw before joining Arsenal’s youth setup in 2015, where he would play just twice in five seasons.

A procession of EFL loans made him a much uttered name across the divisions, most notably during his time at Charlton Athletic, where play-off heroics secured the Addicks promotion back to the second-tier.

Bielik's current stint at Birmingham began in 2022, and despite the onslaught of big-money talent that has arrived at the club this summer, the Polish international remains one of the first names on the teamsheet.

CM - Jude Bellingham

Surprise, surprise.

Everyone laughed at Birmingham in 2020 for retiring the shirt number of a 17-year-old. But remarkably, four years on, that gesture has turned out to be entirely necessary, as Jude Bellingham has become perhaps the most culturally impactful English footballer since David Beckham.

Bellingham played 44 games for the Blues in 2019-20, the vast majority of which he spent as a 16-year-old. Since then, Bellingham has gone on to win the German Cup, La Liga, Champions League while representing his nation at three major tournaments already.

Now 21, Bellingham is a bonafide Ballon D'or contender, who retrospectively may well have been one of the greatest U21 footballers of all time. He remains the Championship's youngest ever goalscorer.

CM - Reda Khadra

Coming down to earth a bit, we have former German U21 international Reda Khadra.

A capable dribbler on his day, but lacking defensively, the attack-minded midfielder joined the Blues on loan from Brighton in 2023, scoring thrice in 14 Championship appearances.

Khadra currently plays his football in France's top-flight with Stade de Reims.

RW - Iván Sánchez

Arriving from Elche in 2020, Iván Sánchez represented a Spanish flair at the club implemented under fellow countryman Aitor Karanka.

The winger joined Birmingham on a free transfer, and went on to play 40 times during the 2020-21 season, collecting nine goal involvements. Sánchez's time at St. Andrew's peaked early, being included in the Championship team of the month for September 2020, his first at the club.

The winger, now aged 32, is currently a La Liga regular as he contributed heavily to Real Valladolid's promotion last season.

LW - Demarai Gray

The second-best teenage talent produced by the club in the past decade, Demarai Gray, was an absolute revelation for the blues between 2013 and 2016.

Born in Birmingham, Gray made his Championship debut as a 17-year-old, going on to play a further 77 times for the club as a teen, scoring eight goals.

Gray left the Blues in 2016, taking on the incredibly exciting opportunity of helping Leicester secure the Premier League, a fee of just £3.75m seemed meager considering his potential at the time.

The now-Jamaican international did, of course, collect his winner's medal, and would go on to play exactly 200 Premier League matches before leaving to join Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia.

ST - Ché Adams

Scotland international Ché Adams is an interesting profile of player.

Joining from Sheffield United in 2016, Adams took a while to truly settle at St. Andrew's. It wasn't until 2018-19 that the forward had his true breakout season, scoring 22 times in the league for the Blues, more than 33% of their goals that campaign.

This form, combined with Birmingham's lowly 17th placed finish, saw Adams secure a Premier League move to Southampton. The Scot would score 25 Premier League goals in four seasons before Saint's untimely relegation.

In 2023-24, Adams' 16 goals helped achieve promotion back to the Premier League. However, the former Ilkeston striker opted for a new challenge, now enjoying impressive form in Serie A for Torino.