Chris Davies has addressed head-on the rumours suggesting that defensive duo Christoph Klarer and Phil Neumann are not on good terms.
Neumann returned to Birmingham City’s starting lineup on Tuesday and delivered a man-of-the-match performance alongside Klarer in the win over Preston. For weeks, social media had been buzzing with speculation about a fallout between the two defenders after Neumann was dropped from the squad.
Davies clarified that Neumann’s five-game absence had nothing to do with any personal issues, explaining that it was purely a tactical decision. “Firstly, I hadn’t heard that,” he said. “One thing I do well is stay off social media, so I’m not aware of most of that noise. But if there really had been a fight between those two, Neumann wouldn’t be standing up. If Klarer fought anyone, he’d win. There’s absolutely nothing like that going on.”
The Blues boss went on to praise Klarer’s leadership and influence in the dressing room. “He’s a great captain who sets high standards every day,” Davies added. “In fact, Neumann gets along well with him—they speak the same language, and Klarer has helped him settle in. So no fight at all, but I’d probably pay to see it if there was.”
Chief executive Jeremy Dale jokingly responded, “Maybe we could stage that in the stadium and make some extra money—what do you think?
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