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Birmingham City midfielder Mikel San Jose has backed the club for success, believing the squad has everything in it to be successful.

San Jose arrived in Birmingham on a free transfer in September, joining the club after being released by Athletic Bilbao back in July.

He’s proven to be a big success since, establishing himself as a key player with 11 starts in 16 Championship games so far this season.

Sadly things have not been quite as easy for his team, with Birmingham currently sitting 17th in the table just four points from the relegation zone after three straight defeats.

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That form has predictably raised doubts about the squad, but San Jose insists they need time and patience to be a success.

“(I’m) very well, very well. Very happy with the team, with the colleagues and with the coach and the technical staff,” he told Mundo Deportivo.

“Although the last matches have not gone very well, after having a series of matches competing at a high level and beating rivals from the area above. I have a lot of optimism.

“I believe that this team has many things to make beautiful things.

“We are eleven new players who have arrived this summer and making a competitive team in the short term is complicated.”

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San Jose’s arrival at St Andrew’s was down to a change in management in the summer, with Birmingham bringing in Aitor Karanka.

The former Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest boss is their sixth permanent manager in three and a half years and their second successive Spanish coach following Pep Clotet.

His arrival saw several others Spaniards arrive at the club too, with Jon Toral, Ivan Sanchez and Andres Prieto also making the move.

That’s obviously a bonus for the likes of San Jose, who says he has a close relationship with his boss courtesy of their love of Athletic Bilbao.

“It’s good. Both of us follow Athletic very closely,” he added.

“We are being lucky because we agree many times that Athletic also plays away from home and we usually watch their games in the hotel, on a big screen.

“(I have a) very good relationship with Karanka, very close. The sensations as a coach are also very, very good. Let’s hope that everything continues to go well.”