Birmingham City: James McFadden sings praises of Cameron Jerome

Apr 24 2010 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

JAMES McFadden has praised the impact of Blues’ No.1 striker Cameron Jerome.

The Scotland star said that ten-goal Jerome, Blues’ leading scorer, was getting better and better.

“He has been excellent. He has been the figurehead of the attack and I think when the good run started, Cammy had just come back from quite a big lay-off,’’ he said.

“Now I think at Man City that must have been the first time he has been subbed in going on 20 games. He has done fantastically to get the goals and he also works his socks off. There’s maybe a lot of people who look at Cammy and say he’s not got this to his game, he’s not got that to his game.

“But he works hard, he’s improving every match and he is finding the net.

“His link-up play is a lot better and, as I said to him before Man City, that we’re starting to build up a better understanding as well.”

Jerome will again have the onus on his shoulders in tomorrow’s derby as McFadden has been niggled by a groin complaint.

“Ten goals, it’s a fantastic achievement,” said McFadden. “When you are one of the teams near the bottom or when you come into the league you think ‘if I can get in double figures that would be a great achievement’, so fair play to him. He’s done well, he’s been excellent for us.”

McFadden stressed that Blues were not running out of steam in the wake of the 5-1 Manchester mauling.

“The majority of the season we have been excellent. I would maybe say when you look at the tight squad we have got, a Man City is what can happen when we’re not at the level we can be.

“We need to be at our very best to compete. You can’t do it every game with a small squad.”