Birmingham City: No full side for McLeish against Sunderland
Ridgewell’s return tonight, set to be at left-back because of Carr’s absence, was a pleasant bonus.
He broke his left leg in April and had a metal rod inserted to help the healing process.
Said McLeish: “It’s sensational that he’s back already. I think the first call was a year. Then 10 months.
“Tim Williamson, our physio, who worked to help get Henrik Larsson back after a similar injury at Celtic, said he could probably get him right in six to eight months.
Well, it’s been five months now and Ridgewell’s going to play against Sunderland.
“He won’t play the whole game, but he will certainly start the game.
“The condition of his body, his fitness is perfect. He’s not played, that’s the only thing, but his condition is at a state where it allows us to have him available for selection.”
David Murphy is ‘getting better as each day passes’, said McLeish but he is not yet right and as Vignal, Carr , Franck Queudrue and Jared Wilson are all out - Wilson
is recovering from a dislocated shoulder - Ridgewell is likely to slot in at full-back to help out.
Giovanny Espinoza and James O’Shea could figure at the Stadium of Light as well as Sammons.
Loanee Teemu Tainio is ineligible after playing for parent club Sunderland in the previous round.
Sunderland won’t risk Lee Cattermole’s heel injury and Steve Bruce is ready to give defenders John Mensah and Paulo Da Silva starting debuts.
Said McLeish: “I can’t guess what Steve’s going to do, but he’s certainly got a lot of players at his disposal. He might feel it’s a chance to freshen up his squad and let others show him that they want to be in that first team.
“I don’t think he has as many problems as I do personnel wise, but we will go up there and give it a good go, we will try and get the very best out of the players again, which is my job.”
Blues (from): Hart, Maik Taylor, Parnaby, Ridgewell, Dann, Roger Johnson, Espinoza, Preston, Bowyer, Ferguson, Fahey, Sammons, O’Shea, McSheffrey, O’Connor, Phillips, Benitez.
