Daish, a former Birmingham City player, was appointed academy manager in December 2022. However, despite his connection to the club, his position is now under scrutiny.

Birmingham’s academy has a strong reputation, having produced talents like the Bellingham brothers. Jude Bellingham has recently won the Champions League with Real Madrid, while Jobe Bellingham is making waves in the Championship with Sunderland, currently topping the table. The success of these academy graduates has further highlighted the expectations surrounding the youth development system at Birmingham City.

Despite some positive results under Daish’s leadership, including a recent 6-1 victory by the Under-18s over Bristol City – with goals from Zaid Betteka, Briar Bateman, Caleb Sanders, and Tobey Ugorji – concerns about the overall progress of the academy seem to be mounting. These concerns may be contributing to the speculation surrounding Daish’s future at the club.

Daish’s history with Birmingham City as a player spans two years, during which he made 73 appearances and scored three goals between 1994 and 1996. His strong ties to the club may make the decision to potentially part ways a difficult one for the management.

As the academy technical director, Mike Rigg holds a significant influence over the direction of the club’s youth development system. If Rigg believes a change in leadership is necessary to enhance the academy’s performance, Daish could be shown the door. However, the club has not made any official statement on the matter yet.

In the high-pressure environment of football, the performance of academy managers is often evaluated based on the development of young talents and their ability to progress into the first team or gain recognition elsewhere. Whether Daish will retain his position or face dismissal remains to be seen, as speculation continues to build around his future at Birmingham City.