Rise to Nigel Quashie challenge, Alex McLeish tells players

Oct 23 2008 By Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

ALEX McLeish has told his squad they should not see Nigel Quashie’s addition as a threat, but a challenge.

Quashie was drafted in earlier than expected because of a St Andrew’s injury crisis.

And the Blues boss said he was the kind of sort he wanted for the demands of the Championship.

“I’m pleased about the addition of Nigel,” he said. “It’s tough on other players who maybe see it as a threat, but they should be saying that the more good players we have for this assault to get back to the Premier League, the better.

‘‘And it’s a team game, everybody will play their part.”

McLeish admitted he would rather pin his faith in Quashie – even if it he is only a stop-gap – than gamble on the untried.

“At the level we’re at, we’re looking to go to the wire and get back to the Premier League,’’ he said.

“I can’t turn to kids. I’ve got to have players who know their way around the block.

“If it’s young kids, then our aspirations, I would think, would become more difficult.

“We’ve got to be better than that – and that’s no offence to the kids at all – we’ve got some good young players here and hopefully they will be part of the future here.

“But we need to have players we know can make sure we win games like the Crystal Palace one in the week.”