Birmingham City’s new interim head coach Darren Carter says that he has been challenged with creating a strong identity for his team.
Carter was appointed into his role last month after the Blues parted company with former boss Scott Booth following a difficult start to the season.
Birmingham City find themselves second-bottom of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League table with just a point to their name and new boss Carter says that he has been challenged with creating an identity for the team by technical director Craig Gardner.
“The women’s team has always been on Craig’s agenda,” Carter said when speaking in a Birmingham City press conference. “When he spoke to me, he said that he wants to be fully across it and give it as much support as he can to make it successful. The big thing is giving the team an identity and matching that up with what Birmingham City is all about.
“He knows that I know what that’s all about and he trusts me to install that in the squad and in the players. He wants to give this team an identity and a structure so that they know what it means to be a Birmingham City player and the way that they carry themselves and how they go out and perform.”
Birmingham City are operating with one of the smallest squads in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League. Carter went on to say that while he may be given the green light to make limited additions in January, the current squad have much more to prove.
He said “It has been positive in terms of the feedback that I have received from Craig and the directors but we are going to have to be savvy, we won’t have a great deal of money, that’s a challenge for us in terms of what we want to recruit.
“What I have seen in the building already, I don’t think they have shown anywhere near their capacity and their talent, they are chomping at the bit to do well. If we can install that confidence and that belief in them, I think we will begin to see some of those players start to shine and reach their top level of performance.
“We will have that conversation and try to strengthen in January but I like what I see in the building.”
Carter takes charge of Birmingham City for the first time when they face Manchester City St Andrew’s on Sunday.