Liam Ridgwell: Birmingham City need to copy Sunderland to survive

Sep 24 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

THE returning Liam Ridgewell has told Blues they should copy the example of Sunderland if they want to cement their status as a Premier League club.

Steve Bruce’s side were comfortable winners over Blues in the Carling Cup on Tuesday, utilising their strength in depth which Ridgewell said was something to aspire to.

Bruce has spent £30 million since taking over at the Stadium of Light and was able to leave Darren Bent and Anton Ferdinand, who are worth a combined £18 million, on the bench, and not risk £6 million Lee Cattermole at all.

As Carson Yeung’s takeover of Blues took another key step – it has been announced that through Grandtop International Holdings he has already secured 81.7 per cent of the shares, the majority of which belonged to the present board – Ridgewell said he hoped that the club would get serious, like the Black Cats.

“Brucie has got a good squad together, a strong squad as well,” said Ridgewell, who made his comeback after five months out recovering from a broken left leg.

“He has spent a lot of money and they’re the sort of club we’re striving to be like.

“They’ve got the type of squad we want to get to. Their strength in depth was always going to make it difficult for us, especially with our injuries.

“We handled ourselves better in the second-half but it was a poor start really and we never properly recovered. They deserved to win and we’ve just got to look at them as an example.”

Ridgewell admitted that Saturday’s home game against Bolton Wanderers was more significant in the grand scheme of things. “We didn’t think of it like that on the night but, when you look at it, Bolton’s more important. We want to stay in the Premier League. That’s our aim this season,’’ he said.

“We want people right and fit for every single Premier League game. That’s our priority.”