Birmingham City can now win the title says Alex McLeish

Mar 16 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

Alex McLeish vents his fury at the players during the first-half.

ALEX McLeish today insisted Blues could yet win the Championship title.

Not that the Blues boss is one for shouting the odds arrogantly from the rooftops. That’s just not his way.

But the growing confidence in his team following a key victory at Doncaster Rovers has left McLeish decidedly optimistic – and put Wolves, who have to visit St Andrew’s, firmly in their sights.

Read Colin Tattum and Andy Walker's live blog from the Doncaster v Birmingham game

“I am not saying we will win the league but it’s a possibility and I believe we can,” he said.

“But only if we produce that kind of performance we saw on Saturday in every game from now until the end of the season.

“We’ve had a decent run in the last four games and we need to build on that.

“Thanks to the Birmingham fans for their superb support at Doncaster and hopefully they believe there’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.’’

It seems that way. There is now a shift in mood around Blues – the doom and gloom appears to have evaporated.

Reading’s bad streak of results continued on Saturday – they lost 1-0 at home to Ipswich Town – and Blues capitalised.

“The win has got to give us a boost,” said McLeish. “It entitles the players to believe in themselves, it entitles us all who have Birmingham interests to believe and there’s no reason why we can’t capitalise and mount a more serious run.

“We have had a few opportunities to take advantage of our rivals’ slip-ups before, that’s why Birmingham fans have been left frustrated and us as well.

“I know what the lads are capable of, but we haven’t quite been able to do it, that’s why the win on Saturday [after Reading lost] was so pleasing.”