Craig Gardner has left his role as first team coach at Birmingham

The 33-year-old has been tipped to join Tony Pulis’ backroom staff at Sheffield Wednesday.

Gardner had been assisting Aitor Karanka after taking on his first coaching role in July but told the club he was leaving over the weekend.

The former midfielder made 125 appearances for Blues, scoring 16 goals, in four spells – two loan and two permanent – and helped them win the League Cup in 2011 before retiring from playing earlier this year.

Gardner played under Pulis, named the new Wednesday manager last week, at West Brom.