Source: Daily_Mail
Alex McLeish insists: The FA Cup is very important to a club like Birmingham
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish insists an FA Cup run remains 'very important' to his Barclays Premier League high-flyers as they prepare to face Nottingham Forest in tonight's third-round replay.[LNB]How did that one not go in? Lee Bowyer of Birmingham after missing a chance against Forest in the first match[LNB]McLeish has guided Blues to the dizzy heights of eighth place in the league table and they may soon be looking to achieve plenty more than preserve their top-flight status.[LNB]The FA Cup has struggled to retain its appeal over recent years as the glamour and riches of the Premier League and UEFA Champions League have taken precedence.[LNB]But that is not the case at St Andrew's and McLeish, who will select from the same squad that held Manchester United at the weekend, is determined to buck recent trends having already seen his charges eliminated at the third-round stage in the two seasons he has been at the helm.[LNB]He completed the signing of Michel from Sporting Gijon yesterday, for £3million, but the midfielder will not be available for the cup tie.[LNB]McLeish said: 'We'd like to make sure we achieve in terms of the Premier League, and that still remains our mission, but first and foremost the FA Cup is very important to us.'[LNB]Birmingham were on the back foot for large parts of the initial goalless draw at the City Ground.[LNB]'We've got a home tie and we're playing against the form team in the Championship,' McLeish said.[LNB]'I tipped Forest as outside candidates for the promotion chase and Billy (Davies) has done it again. He's a great builder of teams. He was always destined to be a coach and he's done a remarkable job in such a short space of time.'[LNB]Referring to Forest's classy 3-1 victory at promotion rivals West Brom on Friday, McLeish added: 'I watched the game on television and we had a couple of coaches there, it was a very impressive performance.[LNB] Hard going: Gregory Vignal of Birmingham City (right) holds off Dexter Blackstock of Nottingham Forest two weeks ago[LNB]'To go to The Hawthorns and win in the way they did, and in the style they did, was fantastic.'[LNB]Tonight's clash will pit the current Premier League and Coca-Cola Championship managers of the month against each other.[LNB]But it will also see one long-standing unbeaten record come to an end as Everton await the victors in the fourth round.[LNB]Davies' promotion-chasing Forest side are looking to defend an 18-match sequence that stretches back to September while McLeish has guided his charges to a 13-match run in all competitions.[LNB]Whatever the outcome, McLeish admits the two managers share something in common in the way they are attempting to deal with increasing expectation as they findthemselves in unfamiliar territory when it comes to league matters.[LNB]'Their form speaks for itself, Billy's probably surprised at the rate they're going at,' McLeish said.[LNB]'To have gone so long unbeaten he's trying to calm the jets as well in terms of expectation levels and I can understand that type of management, it's a similar situation here.'[LNB] Kenwyne Jones price is not right, taunts Sunderland boss Steve BruceA Premier League club could go bust this year, predicts David SullivanBirmingham boss McLeish lines up move for Wigan striker RodallegaShrewd Birmingham boss McLeish wary of being ripped off in JanuaryBIRMINGHAM CITY FC
