Championship Preview: Rowett reign begins at Birmingham, Derby travel to Brentford

​Gary Rowett is ready for the challenge as he takes charge of Birmingham City for the first time against Wolves on Saturday.

The former Burton Albion boss was named as Lee Clark’s replacement on Monday, and faces the challenge of rebuilding his new side’s confidence after their 8-0 drubbing at the hands of Bournemouth last weekend.

Birmingham have only won twice this season and travel to Molineux on the back of three successive league defeats, leaving them second from bottom in the Championship table.

Rowett is relishing the challenge ahead of him and insists his side will be ready to face one of the division’s in-form sides.

“I am looking to impart our philosophy and our style on the team straight away,” he told a media conference on Tuesday. “I am not here to sit around and wait for something to happen.

“We need to get the team working hard for each other as quickly as possible.

“Sometimes a group need to be brought to rock bottom to regrow and regenerate, but I will give them all the opportunity to atone for last week.”

Wolves’ weekend comeback against Leeds United saw them win 2-1 at Elland Road and move to joint-top of the table with Derby County and Watford, having lost just once in 12 games.

Steve McClaren’s side will seek a response as they travel to Brentford for the first time in the league since 1992 having suffered a rare home defeat last weekend to Wigan Athletic.

Derby will take confidence from the side’s League Cup meeting last term, which resulted in a 5-0 win for the Midlands side.

Watford will hope to stay level with Derby when they host local rivals Millwall at Vicarage Road, while Bournemouth welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to Dean Court with their thrashing of Birmingham and a midweek League Cup win over top-flight West Brom boosting confidence.

Managerless Blackpool host Ipswich Town, with Clark reportedly eyeing a quick return to management after his Birmingham exit, and Neil Redfearn begins his second spell in charge of Leeds United this term as they travel to Russell Slade’s Cardiff City.

Blackburn Rovers, fresh off the back of an impressive victory at Nottingham Forest, will look to make it three in a row when they host Reading, while Charlton Athletic attempt to get back to winning ways when Sheffield Wednesday visit The Valley.

Charlton’s early-season promise has fizzled away in recent weeks, but Wednesday have also struggled to maintain their form, and are without a win in six games.

Norwich City and Forest, both on the fringes of the play-off places, face Bolton Wanderers and Huddersfield Town respectively, while Middlesbrough travel to Rotherham United and Wigan entertain Fulham.