In an unsurprising turn of events, Harry Redknapp has lost his job after a horrendous start to the season with Birmingham City.

Redknapp was the Blues' savour last season as he swooped in before the last three games of the season and managed a win on the final day against Bristol City to keep them in the Championship.

However, after showing a complete inability to bring in decent players over most of the summer, and moving for targets far too good for Birmingham, he pieced together a scrappy looking squad in the final weeks of the window, that has failed to alleviate their woes.

Redknapp has paid the price for it and it could very easily be his curtain call as a manager.

The decision to chop Gary Rowett last season is looking an increasingly foolish one by Birmingham's owners, and the club is in deep relegation trouble.

Who should replace the ex-Tottenham manager at St Andrews? Here are three candidates for the job....

 

Aitor Karanka

Aitor Karanka to Birmingham, could be an astute move by the Blues.

Karanka has only one experience of battling relegation in his managerial career, and he did so poorly, sacked last season as Middlesbrough edged towards the Premier League drop zone.

However, Birmingham are lucky in that they do have a lot of talented players at their disposal, such as Maxime Colin, Jota and Che Adams, and if Karanka can utilise them, he could be very successful with the Blues.

Paul Hurst

In recent history, Birmingham's most successful manager has been Gary Rowett, a man plucked from then League Two Burton Albion.

He did an incredible job in turning them from relegation fodder to play off hopefuls, and perhaps Hurst is of a similar mould.

Hurst joined Shrewsbury in October of last year.

The club were bottom of the table, yet Hurst lifted them from League One's depths and helped them to survival.

Now, 11 months later, they top League One.

This is exactly the type of manager that Birmingham need, and a shrewd move for the ex-Rotherham full back could be another Rowett-esque masterstroke.

Alan Pardew

Alan Pardew showed his ability to drag a club out of relegation trouble with Crystal Palace in 2015, with the club 18th in the Premier League upon his arrival, and ending up in 10th.

He's jobless after struggling to keep Palace away from the drop zone the season after, but is a manager of enormous pedigree and could seriously help Birmingham at this point.

Based off their last two appointments, it appears the owners at St. Andrews like a big name in charge, and Pardew certainly fits that bill.

Birmingham fans... What do you make of this? Who should come in as your manager? Let us know in the comments below!