Hibs reject Birmingham approach for manager Calderwood

Last updated : 29 June 2011 By Steve Forbes

It’s been revealed tonight that Hibs have knocked back an approach from Birmingham City to talk to manager Colin Calderwood.

Rumours have been rife over the last couple of weeks that Calderwood was set to quit Easter Road, with both Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest eager to appoint Calderwood as No.2.

Calderwood has previously been manager at Nottingham Forest but was sacked in 2008 after some poor results at the City Ground, but now new manager Steve McClaren is keen to take him back to the club.

New Birmingham boss Chris Hughton is keen to link up with Calderwood again; previously they worked together at Newcastle United, before Calderwood left to become Hibs boss in October.

Hibernian-Mad.co.uk understands that the Blues have offered £300,000 compensation, which Hibs have turned down, but Birmigham WILL be back with another offer.

Hibs are said to have a clause in Calderwood's contract, that compensation is set at close to £1m.

Just last week the club released a statement warning that no approach for Calderwood would be welcome, after Nottingham Forest were linked with a move, it now seems they have another fight on their hands to keep their boss at Easter Road.

Calderwood has angered sections of the Hibs support over the last week, with comments about moving on to bigger things, despite leaving a Premiership club to come to the club.

He has also been allowed to move over 20 players from the club since he took over, and sign a number of players, but the re-building job is far from complete, and some supporters are disappointed that he wants to leave before he has even been 12 months in the job, leaving the Hibees managerless, and with a threadbare squad, just three weeks before the new SPL season kicks off.

A quick decision is needed by the Easter Road hierarchy, and if Calderwood goes, a quick decision is needed on his replacement.