Former Birmingham City star Curtis Davies has spoken to FourFourTwo about one player's contract, which almost tore the club apart – and how he backed his team-mate over the club.
Nikola Zigic was awarded a huge contract upon signing for the Blues – but it later transpired that the club had failed to put in a relegation clause to reduce his wages. Upon dropping to the Championship, Birmingham failed to find a new home for their 6ft 7in striker, even looking to sell homegrown goalkeeper Jack Butland as an easier asset to shift in the face of administration.
"I can’t shy away from the fact that we are paying a lot of money [to Zigic] which I’m sure we can’t [afford to]: he realises that," Birmingham chairman Peter Pannu said in 2012.
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Speaking to FourFourTwo, however, team-mate Curtis Davies has revealed why Zigic was well within his rights not to leave St. Andrew's – and how he was a lovely figure around the club, despite being a drain on resources.
"I’m in the player’s corner – if he’s on a deal allegedly worth £60,000 a week, which goes up by £5,000 every season across four years, who’s the stupid one?" Davies said.
"Why should he walk away from that? The money was incredible. Plus, if he stayed in the country long enough, his daughters could become British citizens.
"Clubs talk about loyalty when a player leaves, but not when they’re trying to get rid of him. Ziggy wasn’t going to leave that contract.
"He would have happily opened the gates every morning and closed them at night if he had to. He’d always say, 'Don’t worry, big man – I’m good.' A funny bloke and a gentle giant."
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