Steve Cotterill is prepared to have a row with Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock at St Andrews on Friday (7.45pm).
The new Birmingham City manager has respect for Bluebirds boss Warnock, but says: “There’s a great chance we’ll have a row.”
This is Cotterill’s first match in charge of the Blues, who have earned only one win in their last 10 league and cup fixtures, and it’s being televised live on Sky.
Birmingham lost 6-1 in their last match against Hull City and now take on Championship leaders Cardiff.
The two managers will be close together on the touchline and Cotterill says: “I get on all right with Neil.
“That’s not to say we won’t have a row on Friday night because there’s a great chance that will happen.
“But that won’t mean I don’t have respect for him, or that I don’t like him.
“He’s done a fantastic job at Cardiff. I saw them last season. He, for me, made them solid when he went in, but unspectacular.
“This season, though, they have been spectacular. He’s added to the team, his recruitment has been excellent and it looks like they’ve got a real team there now.”
Cotterill has had two weeks to work with his players during the international break, while Warnock has had a number of his players away with their national teams.
“We have to create competitiveness within the squad, but healthily,” said Cotterill. “We have potential rather than quality. But we have good characters in the squad. Now it’s part of their job to get the fans out of their seats.”
Warnock welcomes Aaron Gunnarsson back to his Cardiff squad after leading Iceland into the World Cup finals.
Gunnarsson missed Cardiff’s final two matches before the break because of an injury, but played for Iceland twice.
He was captain in wins against Turkey 3-0 and Kosovo 2-0 and they have qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in the country’s history.
‘Gunnar’ is available for Cardiff’s match at St Andrews, but will be assessed by the club’s medical staff.
Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge and his Philippines team were held to a 1-1 draw in their Asian Cup qualifying clash with Yemen on Tuesday. That fixture was played in Qatar and the point earned kept the Philippines top of their group, two points clear of Tajikistan.
Cardiff centre-half Bruno Manga was involved in two defeats for Gabon. They went down against Morocco 3-0 in a World Cup qualifier and then 1-0 against Benin in a friendly.
Cameron Coxe, Mark Harris and Rhys Abbruzzese played for Wales in their 3-1 Uefa Under-21 Championship qualifier against Liechtenstein, while five young Bluebirds were in the Wales under-19 squad.
Goalkeeper George Ratcliffe, Adam Sharif, Jack Bodenham, Sion Spence and James Waite were involved in two matches against Switzerland. The Welsh team won 4-3 against the Swiss, but lost the second fixture 2-0.
Isaak Davies, Keenan Patten and Sam Bowen are in the Wales under-17 squad for their Uefa Championship qualifiers in Hungary. The Welsh team lost 2-1 against hosts Hungary, Everton’s Josh Hosie scoring their goal, with two more fixtures to come.
All the matches are being played in Hungary and Wales still have to play Kosovo on Friday and the Netherlands next Monday.
The Netherlands defeated Kosovo 3-1 in their other group fixture played so far.
Wales (v Hungary): Luke Burton (Shrewsbury Town), Ryan Barrett (Newcastle United), Edward Jones (Everton), Josh Hosie (Everton), Ryan Astley (capt, Everton), Lewis Collins (Newport County), Isaak Davies (Cardiff City), Callum Watts (Southampton), Jack Vale (Blackburn Rovers), Cameron Evans (Swansea City), Keenan Patten (Cardiff City).
Subs: Cian Tyler (Coventry City), Callum Pearson (Bristol City), Rhys Hughes (Everton), Matthew Sargent (Wrexham), Steffan Bulkeley (Wrexham), Ryan Bevan (Swansea City), Joe Adams (Bury).
