Karanka names seven-strong backroom team at Birmingham

NEW Birmingham City manager Aitor Karanka has named his seven-strong backroom team at St Andrews, which includes his younger brother David as assistant.

The other assistant will be Portuguese Nelson Jardim, who spent several seasons at Swansea City. The first-team coach will be Craig Gardner, who was caretaker manager at the end of last season after retiring from playing.

Spaniard Juanjo Vila will be Head of Analysis, with compatriot Carlos Luengo Pena as his assistant.

Scott Bevan steps up from the Under-23s to become goalkeeper coach, while Elliott Woolmer continues as sports scientist, having stepped up to the role in December.

David Karanka, 42, was first-team coach and analyst for his brother at Nottingham Forest, having started his coaching career at Real Murcia in Spain.

Vila, 58, worked alongside Karanka as assistant and Head of Analysis and Scouting at both Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest.

Jardim, 41, was assistant and analyst to Paulo Sousa at Swansea City and Leicester City. He rejoined Swans as an Academy coach in 2014 and went on to coach for the first team, working under five different managers.

Pena was assistant and Head of Analysis role for CF Trujillo in the fourth tier in Spain in 2019/20 and has also been Head Coach of Armenian Premier League side FC Banants.

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