Peter Grant is in dreamland at Birmingham City

Jul 25 2010 by Andy Walker, Sunday Mercury

“I can’t believe I’m sitting here on the Great Wall of China, the week before last I was sitting at home doing the windows!

“The thing that I love is being on the training pitch and being around football. I’m delighted and thankful to get an opportunity to do this.”

Of course, Grant is familiar with the West Midlands following his season at Albion with Mowbray.

However, what came between his Hawthorns days and his fresh start at Blues has been a tough time emotionally for the 44-year-old.

A boyhood Hoops fan, Grant spent 15 years playing for Celtic and it remains a club he loves.

That is part of the reason why, when Mowbray was offered the Celtic job, Grant wasn’t initially keen on following him to Parkhead alongside Mark Venus.

And the trio’s eventual fate at the Glaswegian giant suggests that those early fears were correct.

“It did hurt,” admitted the former Norwich manager. “That was probably one of the reasons why I was a wee bit concerned about going.

“It was always a concern of mine. People may find that strange as it’s a club close to my heart. But in many respects, you know that if things don’t work out then you’ll never feel the same again.

“I suppose being a supporter never leaves you, the same disappointment is there. You get on with it and everything is a new experience for me. You have your pros and cons to everything.

“I’ve always said that I wanted to work in the Premier League and I’ve had an opportunity to come back so I can’t ask for any more than that.

“Obviously I got that opportunity because I lost my job at Celtic.”

As well as being familiar with his new management team, the former Scotland midfielder has crossed paths with some members of the Blues squad.

He worked with Lee Bowyer during his time as Alan Pardew’s assistant at West Ham, knew Barry Ferguson from his Old Firm days and also briefly played with Liam Ridgewell during the defender’s loan spell at Bournemouth.

Grant has certainly taken to the squad quickly and has even joined in the occasional practice match out here in China.

He added: “I can see that there’s a camaraderie and spirit with these players and I’ve seen that in small things, when it’s tough and they’re dragging each other through.

“That’s what the club will need this year because it’s a tough league again.”