Paik Seung-ho could return to contention for Birmingham City this week after missing more than six weeks with an injury.
Speaking at his press conference ahead of Tuesday’s Championship home match against Millwall on 3 November, manager Chris Davies said the South Korean midfielder had a chance of getting involved this week. However, in comments carried by Birmingham Mail, Davies described the situation as,
I think Paik has got a chance of getting involved at some point. Maybe this week. It’s a bit touch and go. Lund won’t be. Paik is getting there.
Birmingham also host Swansea City on Saturday, 7 November. While Davies’ remarks offer encouragement, he did not confirm that Paik has returned to full training or that he will be fit for either match. On 29 October, the manager estimated that Paik remained about a week away from full training. Any decision on his inclusion in a matchday squad this week will depend on how he responds on the training pitch.
The timeline of Paik’s absence
The 29-year-old last played for the Blues on 19 September in a 2 to 2 draw with Middlesbrough, coming off the bench in the 83rd minute.
He was later withdrawn from South Korea’s national squad during the October international break. According to a report on his return to Birmingham, the Korea Football Association felt he needed recovery time rather than extra match minutes. Birmingham have not publicly confirmed the exact nature or severity of the injury.
What Paik brings to Birmingham’s midfield
Before his injury, Paik gave Davies a useful technical option in the middle of the pitch. He is comfortable receiving the ball to help move possession through central areas, and he adds an attacking threat by making runs into the penalty box. He demonstrated that threat in September’s 2 to 1 win away at Derby County, when he came on as a substitute to score the winning goal.
According to Transfermarkt, Paik made eight Championship appearances prior to his spell on the sidelines, divided equally between four starts and four substitute outings. He logged 378 league minutes and scored once, alongside two appearances and one assist in the League Cup.
How Birmingham have coped without him
Paik’s absence has reduced the tactical variety in midfield, but Birmingham have found a reliable partnership without him. Tomoki Iwata and Jhon Solis have carried the bulk of the workload in central midfield. Opta figures show Iwata has played 1,147 Championship minutes this season, while Solis has played 851. Both players started the draw against Middlesbrough in September when Paik began on the bench.
With Iwata providing continuity and Solis featuring regularly, Birmingham have put together a strong run of results. They enter Tuesday’s game against Millwall having won four of their last five matches, including a 3 to 1 away victory over Lincoln City.
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Why a starting spot is not guaranteed
Because the team is performing well, Davies has no need to rush Paik back into action or disrupt a settled midfield structure. Even if the midfielder passes fitness checks to rejoin the matchday group this week, a return to the starting XI is far from automatic.
Given his long spell without competitive football and the short turnaround between Tuesday’s game against Millwall and Saturday’s match against Swansea, a gradual reintroduction from the bench may be the most sensible approach. Moving forward, his path back into the starting line-up will depend on how quickly he builds match sharpness and when Davies feels a game calls for his abilities in possession.
