After recently reaching the 50 point mark in the championship, Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett can now look to finish the season strong and he can also begin to get an idea for the sort of team that he wants for the 2015-2016 Championship campaign.

Here's the BEST Birmingham City XI that they could have next season

Based on my opinion, I believe this could possibly be the starting XI for the Blues next season should they add well in the summer transfer window and keep hold of some of their key players.

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Darren Randolph

In goal, I believe will be Darren Randolph once again. Even though the keeper is in the last few months of his contract, ex-Burton boss Rowett is working tirelessly with Panos Pavlakis, who is the club director and general day to day operator of the club, to try and tie Randolph down to another contact.

However, there has been rumours that Nottingham Forest want to sign him when current goalkeeper Karl Darlow joins up with new club Newcastle United at the end of the season.

 

Paul Caddis

At right-back I am going to stick with Paul Caddis. After saving the club from relegation into League One, Caddis has stepped in as captain on several occasions this season and he has once again been superb for the club.

His attacking work rate is excellent and makes up for what he sometimes lacks in his defensive side of the game. However, despite those few weaknesses at the back, the Scotsman is still an integral part of the Birmingham City back four.

 

Michael Morrison

The first centre back is Michael Morrison.

Since joining on a three year contract from fellow championship side Charlton Athletic, Morrison has become a solid member of the back for at St.Andrews.

After only a few games, the former Charlton captain became a fan favourite and it would have been silly for me to leave him out of next year’s team.

With Paul Robinson looking increasingly likely to retire at the end of the season, there is even talk of Morrison becoming club captain and for me, that would be a very wise decision on Gary Rowett’s part.

 

Kyle Bartley

The second centre back in my Birmingham City team for next season would be Kyle Bartley.

The former loanee would be a difficult one to bring to the club as I am sure there would be other people interested in him but having already been at the club last season, Rowett might be able to persuade him to come back to the club.

The Swansea City defender is a free at the end of the season and in my opinion would be a fantastic buy if the club managed to land him.

Jonathan Grounds

Finally, my left-back would be Jonathan Grounds.

Despite a shaky start to his Birmingham City career, Grounds has progressed a lot over the course of the season and he has grown into a very good left back.

His best moment for the club this season was when he scored against local rivals West Brom and I am sure he will want to add more goals to his game.

The 6ft 4 left-back has been a constant figure in the team and that is why I can see him continuing in the team next season.

 

David Davis

Moving into midfield and I am going to stick with the two holding roles that Gary Rowett has deployed in his reign so far at the club.

The first defensive midfielder is current first team player David Davis.

Similar to Grounds, when he first came into the side, Davis looked a little shaky but that was due to the fact that he didn’t have much match fitness.

However, since becoming a regular starter in the team, Davis has gone on to become an outstanding player who can attack as well as defend.

He is the sort of player that the club have been missing for a long while now and so it would have been a strange decision if I was to leave him out of the team for next season.

 

Robert Tesche

To partner Davis in the other defensive midfield position would be on loan Nottingham Forest player Robert Tesche.

Since he has come into the squad in place of Stephen Gleeson and on occasions Davis, he has been very good.

Adding stability to the midfield, Tesche is somebody who I can see having a bright future at Blues but that is only if they can get him off Forest.

With Forest interested in keeper Darren Randolph, there has been talk of an end of season swap between the clubs but I believe that Birmingham would not want that to happen so they would need to look at taking Tesche on a free.

 

David Cotterill

My three attacking midfielders are the same three that Rowett has stuck with for so many of his games in charge.

On the right is David Cotterill. The Welshman has performed consistently well throughout the season and has helped Clayton Donaldson up front quite a lot.

His crossing ability is second to none and due to that, the amount of chances he has created for his team mates has been unreal. As well as the assists this season,

Cotterill has scored nine goals as well which makes him their second top goal scorer and for that reason, he will defiantly be starting next season.

 

Demarai Gray

On the left will be Demarai Gray.

Many Blues fans do not believe he will still be at the club come the start of next season but I believe he will be.

Despite there being interest from clubs like Liverpool, Tottenham, West Brom and Bournemouth, I think the 18 year old sensation will still be in Gary Rowett’s team.

However, I do think he will only be there on a loan basis. Having turned down £5million for him in January from Bournemouth, I think the club will find it hard to resist should a big money offer come in for him.

Saying that though, if he moved to a Premier League team, I think the club would ask to have him back on loan for the season as I personally do not believe he is ready to make the step up just yet. For that reason, I have placed him in my starting XI for next season.

 

Andrew Shinnie

My final attacking midfielder is Andrew Shinnie.

He has been transformed since Gary Rowett has come in and the work he does for the team is fantastic.

However, fitness has been an issue for him this season as he has only been able to last around 75 minutes in a game but if he can improve on that then he will be a fantastic and invaluable player next season.

Despite not scoring many goals, his link up play with Clayton Donaldson up front has been superb and if the Blues do not sign anybody in the summer, I believe he will be one of the first names on the team sheet each week.

Clayton Donaldson

Finally, playing the lone striker will once again be Clayton Donaldson.

The striker has 15 goals already to his name this season and he still has more to offer. However, a worrying factor is that the striker will be 32 next season and his stamina might drop which could be a problem.

But, if he keeps his fitness levels up, what’s to say the striker can’t continue to produce the performances he has this season. For his work rate, effort and goal scoring ability, I couldn’t leave Donaldson out of my starting XI for the 2015-2016 championship season.