BIRMINGHAM boss Gary Rowett insisted yesterday that managers are a dying breed.

Rowett faces former teammate Lee Carsley tonight after he replaced the sacked Marinus Dijkhuizen yesterday as Brentford boss until the end of the season.

The Blues boss now feels that the traditional manager is being phased out.

He said: “A lot more clubs are doing it, there are going to be less and less Championship managers who can solely pick the team. I think it’s creeping down a European route where there’s a head coach and more influence from other people within the club.

“I spoke to Nigel Clough about it the other day and I said we’re becoming a little unique. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing but it’s becoming quite unique to be a manager with no outside influence.

“Every club does it their way and football moves in cycles, 20 years ago the manager would have been the definitive voice. Things are changing.”