Kevin Phillips accepts 'super sub' role at Birmingham City

Jun 19 2010 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

KEVIN Phillips has revealed how comfortable he is with his special role at Blues.

Phillips, 37 next month, signed a new one-year contract knowing Alex McLeish would use him primarily coming off the substitutes bench again.

There does come a time, he admitted, that you have to adapt – and realise when you have got a good thing going, as he has at Blues.

“I wanted to stay at a level playing as high as I can, for as long as I possibly can,” he told the Birmingham Mail, outlining his reasons for staying put at St Andrew’s.

“I was always going to take the chance to re-sign. I said through the season just gone I’d love to stay. I’m settled and the club did exceptionally well.

“I’m not daft, I know I’m probably going to have a similar season to last year sitting on the bench.

‘‘But if I can come on and make some impacts, like I did, then I will be more than happy with that.

“I just want to be part of the success of Birmingham moving forward.”

Phillips, who came on as substitute 17 times, added: “I have accepted it [the ‘super sub’ role]. I wouldn’t have re-signed otherwise.

“I still believe that if I was to have moved on to a Championship team I could have played week in, week out.

‘‘But I had a chance of playing in the Premier League. It’s the lure of the Premier League, and staying here where I’m settled.

“I get on with everyone, I’d like to think that the supporters kind of like me. So I’m delighted to have re-signed and, as I’ve said all along, it’s easier to go down the leagues in your career than it is to go up.”

Phillips had around half-a-dozen offers from other clubs, including one abroad.

But McLeish made it clear he wanted him around still, regardless of any summer transfer business he planned.

After drawing a line under the pursuit of Fabrizio Miccoli, McLeish is considering other options for up front.

Spurs’ Robbie Keane is of interest but, with a price tag of £10 million-£12 million, is likely to be beyond Blues.

Reports that an agent has been commissioned to broker a deal with Spurs, suggesting Blues are about to make a bid are are some way down the line to a transfer, are off the mark.

According to Blues sources, McLeish has several alternatives to consider, with Fulham’s Bobby Zamora still on the radar.

Villa are also believed to be monitoring Keane’s situation, which is clouded at White Hart Lane.

He was loaned to Celtic in January, after Blues failed to agree a deal for Roman Pavlyuchenko.

The difficulties they had dealing with Spurs then would probably make any move for Keane more problematic than straightforward.