Bowyer slams "ludicrous" Birmingham City owners as Chong issue remains

Christmas has come early for Birmingham boss Lee Bowyer - but not in a the way he was hoping for.

The Blues' chief is unhappy at the Scrooge-like budget he has been given ahead of the re-opening of the transfer window next month.

Bowyer believes his hands are tied heading into January. He had hoped to strengthen his squad sufficiently so that they could make a push for the Championship play-offs.

City are currently 16th in the standings and eight points shy of the top six.

But when asked about the budget he and technical director Craig Gardner will be afforded, Bowyer was far from happy.

Speaking to the BBC, Bowyer said: "I feel for Craig. The hand he has to deal with is ludicrous.

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"I'm not disillusioned. And l'm not going to complain about it. I've just got to try and grind out results.

"But I'm disappointed at the way it's panned out as that's not what was told to me the minute I walked in.

"There's been a lot of changes from what I was told then to now, but it is what it is.

"I can't change that. And, if there is one thing I am good at it's adjusting because I've had to do that a lot in the past."

Bowyer took charge at St Andrew's in March and kept the club in the Championship last term. He was limited to making just four permanent signings in the summer, one of whom was Troy Deeney, whilst he was also reliant on loan signings.

One of them, Manchester United's Tahith Chong, flourished before suffering a long-term injury that cut his spell short. It is thought that the deal has not been terminated and that the possibility of the Dutch midfielder returning to St Andrew's to see out his loan is still very much on the table. Of course much depends on the United starlet's rehabilitation.

As well as Chong, Bowyer has had to move players on with a whopping 16 having departed the club in the summer.

A flurry of injuries and suspensions have made Bowyer's squad wafer-thin and a clutch of youngsters have recently been blooded in the league.

Bowyer also suggested that he may have to sell players before he is able to bring anyone in next month.

Meaning finding replacements and bolstering his squad to manage injuries, such as Chong's, is incredibly unlikely.

He added: "We're limited in what we can do because of things that have happened in the past. It's not my fault or Craig's fault.

"We have to try and change things here. It's a project and this is a transition period.

"My job on the field is trying to get points and Craig's job off the field is behind the scenes, moving things around to strengthen the squad.

"But we're going to have to move players out and we're going to have to bring in players.

"Especially if we play the way we want to play going forward. We have to bring in a different type of person."