‘A bigger attraction’ - ex-Birmingham City star makes frank admission on John Eustace amid Rangers interest

Birmingham City manager John Eustace has been one of many names mentioned as a potential candidate to take the Rangers job.

Michael Beale left Ibrox after he was sacked by the Glasgow club on Sunday (October 1).

Eustace has been linked with a move to Rangers in the past, but ex-Birmingham striker Emile Heskey believes Eustace will stay at St. Andrew’s as getting Blues promoted could be a bigger attraction for him.

Speaking to altindex.com, Heskey said: “Birmingham have got a great manager in John Eustace.

“John has been linked with the Rangers job in the past, and again following Michael Beale’s sacking over the weekend, so Birmingham need to do all they can to keep hold of him and to fight off those sort of clubs from taking him.

“It’s going to be difficult for Birmingham to do that when you see the likes of a Rangers show interest in John and come in for him because they’re a top team playing European football. But I think the lure of taking Birmingham to a play-off final, and hopefully up into the Premier League, could be a bigger attraction to him and he’ll want to stay at Birmingham for that reason.”

Kevin Muscat, Pascal Jansen, and Graham Potter are currently among the bookies’ favourites to take over at the club.

‘The feel-good factor is back at the club’

Heskey believes Birmingham have made a strong start to the season, crediting the impact the club’s new owners have made, and feels they should be aiming for a place in the Championship’s top six.

“From where Birmingham have come from in recent years, this is a fantastic start to the season for them,” he said. “There’s been a lot of turmoil, there’s been a lot of ups and downs, fans have been getting a little disgruntled.

“But with the new owners coming in, and obviously sorting out the stand at St. Andrew’s over the summer that was condemned, it’s bringing back a feel-good factor to the club and has picked up everyone around the club, which is what you want. And that’s why we’re seeing Birmingham secure some good results off the back of that good work from the new owners.

“I think that’s got to be the aim for Birmingham this season, to get into the play-offs. That’s definitely achievable for this Birmingham side, definitely. As I said, they’ve got a great manager in John Eustace and a really good fan base that will get behind you, as long as the players give it their all, and that’s what they’ve been doing at this moment in time, so things are looking positive.”