Lee Bowyer is convinced Birmingham will stay in the Sky Bet Championship after getting his reign off to a winning start with a 2-1 home victory against Reading.
Goals from Lukas Jutkiewicz and captain Harlee Dean secured the Blues only their fourth win in 20 Sky Bet Championship games.
Yakou Meite had equalised for promotion-chasing Reading but Dean’s winner moved his side six points clear of the relegation zone – although third-bottom Rotherham have four games in hand.
Former Birmingham midfielder Bowyer left his job as Charlton manager earlier in the week before replacing Aitor Karanka as Blues boss on Tuesday – and he is optimistic about his new side’s survival hopes.
“If I didn’t think we’ve got enough to stay up, I wouldn’t be here,” Bowyer said.
“Everyone keeps looking at what are now our next three games – Watford, Brentford and Swansea – and the run-in, but we’ve also got another six after that.
“There are no easy games. The first four games are tough but Derby and Rotherham will be tough too.
“I believe we will (stay up) – if we work like that and put in performances like that in every game, we’ve got a very good chance.”
Bowyer named a more attacking line-up than his predecessor and admitted the game plan was to be positive.
“You have to get after teams like Reading because if you don’t, they’re going to hurt you,” he said.
“We tried to set traps and they were won a lot of the time. The odd time they got through it, we had that press and it worked tactically.”
Birmingham took a fourth-minute lead when Jeremie Bela crossed from the left and Jutkiewicz connected with a towering header for his 50th goal for the club.
Meite headed in the the equaliser in the 35th minute after Michael Olise’s corner had been allowed to sail across goal.
But Dean made it 2-1 in the 71st minute, rising above Alfa Semedo to net with a powerful 10-yard header after Reading failed to clear Alen Halilovic’s corner.
The Royals remain in the top six but manager Veljko Paunovic has warned his side they can not afford to perform like they did at St Andrew’s if they are to secure a play-off place.
He said: “This is the first time I’ve seen this side of this team and I don’t want to repeat it ever again.
“I feel a big pain over the way we lost this game. We were our biggest enemy with the mistakes.
“We conceded very easy goals – everyone is fighting for their lives at this stage of the season.
“We have to learn to kill these games, and apply it. There’s no time any more.
“This is not the Reading of the past – we’re not allowed to be complacent and be happy that we’re ‘x’ points clear in the play-off positions.
“We don’t want people like that here. Our hunger has to improve and we have to nourish this opportunity.
“I believe 100 per cent I have the best players in the league.”
