Birmingham City: McLeish needs more time to make his mark

Oct 1 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

‘‘Sometimes you don’t get the first-choice picks of players you’d want, players you have gone for over the past 18 months, and that’s why it takes longer than everyone would like.

“I still think we’re a work in progress and we have shown some really good signs this season early in the league, as have all the teams who have been promoted.

“In no way have we looked out of our depth and I’m convinced that we will continue to improve.”

McLeish said he simply couldn’t spend time wallowing in the misery of relegation.

“You do your best and if you feel that maybe one or two resources might have helped you, then you know that there’s reason for that,’’ he said.

‘‘If we had been a team who didn’t have to punch above their weight then it might have been a bigger regret.”

Encouragingly, McLeish might not be lamenting the resources when Carson Yeung completes his takeover.

The Hong Kong tycoon’s camp have indicated that significant funds will be forthcoming for the January transfer window to bring in players who should make a difference.

McLeish has had a brief telephone conversation with Sammy Yu, Yeung’s right-hand man, who will oversee football operations at St Andrew’s once the buy-out has been confirmed.

Yu should return from Hong Kong next week and the pair are then likely to meet face-to-face to plot a way ahead for recruitment.

McLeish said: “We’re about to begin a new era at the club and we should all look forward with anticipation and embrace it.”