Alex McLeish says Birmingham City's winning streak is bringing them “priceless’’ points

Dec 14 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

MANAGER Alex McLeish says Blues’ winning streak was bringing them “priceless’’ points.

“We’ve always said the top 17 is the aim and right now we can dream of better, of finishing further above the relegation area,” said McLeish, whose team nestle in eighth place in the Premier League table.

“We’ve got to push as hard as we can to get clear of that down there. And right now we have a good position.

“The points we are getting are priceless, they have certainly set us up.

“To win four straight games is phenomenal in our quest for Premier League existence for next season.

“It’s fantastic where we are. We have scaled the heights and we would love to be able to stay there, but we know there’s tough challenges ahead.

“If we can just keep playing to the application levels, the concentration levels we have.

“That’s the challenge, can we keep it going?

“The fact is, though, that we’ve got to this stage in the season with real hard work, determination, good spirit, a fantastic atmosphere within the training ground and I have got to give the players the highest praise possible, they have been excellent.”

McLeish said he had a brief chat with Lee Bowyer before the match.

“People were saying ‘you had better have a word with him, his old team, the red mist’ but speaking to Lee beforehand I said ‘you’re not going to be doing anything stupid this afternoon, are you?’, and he said ‘not a problem, it’s just another game’.

“But it was great for him to get the winning goal for us, again, and it shows he really has moved on.”

Bowyer revealed why he didn’t celebrate. He was mobbed by jubilant team-mates and hoisted into the air, but he remained stony-faced, full of mixed emotions.

“That is a respect thing. I supported West Ham as a boy and I’ll always support West Ham,” he said.

“They are my home club. I was fortunate enough to play for them. I respect the club and people involved.

“None of them was horrible to me when I was there so I think it was like a respect thing. I respect them and that is why I didn’t celebrate.”