Alex McLeish confident about Birmingham City striker Nikola Zigic
Oct 16 2010 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail
ALEX McLeish believes Nikola Zigic will not be affected by the scenes of ‘bedlam’ in Genoa while he was on international duty.
The Blues boss is backing the struggling striker to put to one side the riot by Serbia fans that caused the abandonment of the Euro 2012 qualifier against Italy.
The Serbia team bus was even stormed and a flare let off on board. Their goalkeeper, Vladimir Stojkovic, was threatened and the whole episode left Zigic and the squad shocked and stunned. But McLeish reckons Zigic will be fine as he considers starting him at Arsenal today.
“There was obviously a big furore in Genoa, with the rioting and flares,’’ McLeish said.
“We’ve spoken only briefly about it. He said it was absolute bedlam, crazy. But I’ve not had a chance to sit down and discuss it much further with him.
“Whether he is in the right frame of mind, you have to ask that question of every one of the Serbian players.
“I wouldn’t think for the life of me that every Serbian player involved the other night would be affected and wouldn’t want to play this weekend.
“If it was me, I would want to get on with it. I know it must have been a dangerous situation with the flare coming on the bus and injuring the keeper.
“But Nikola knows he is going to be safe at the Emirates and there is no danger he wouldn’t want to play.”
