Source: Team_Talk
Big Eck won't be conned in window
Yeung has pledged up to £40 million for new players this month and McLeish is being strongly linked with Charles N'Zogbia (Wigan), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke), Ryan Babel (Liverpool) and Michel (Sporting Gijon).[LNB]McLeish is closing in on one or two signings but is reluctant to be held to ransom in his bid to ensure City maintain their flying start to the campaign.[LNB]He said: "I don't want to mention names but we have made inquiries on certain players and, so far, there's nothing been done.[LNB]"We are close to one or two things and we are in dialogue about players. Other than that, there's a lot of prices that don't appeal to me.[LNB]"The law of economics is that if someone is prepared to pay for it, then that's what it's worth.[LNB]"But, at the moment, we don't appear to be in any bun fights with anybody in terms of competition for players.[LNB]"I don't think there's any need for us to be fleeced."[LNB]McLeish admitted: "It's new for me to potentially have loads of money to spend.[LNB]"I have had some time to prepare for one of the Rangers campaigns in January when we brought in Dado Prso, the Croatian centre-forward from Monaco, and Boumsong, from Auxerre, who were both Bosmans. We did pre-contracts with them.[LNB]"But I ended up in the black at Rangers when I left the club. Transfer dealings I've never really spent a lot on.[LNB]"We spent £6million on Arteta, and that's the probably the most I've ever spent on one player."[LNB]Rangers striker Kris Boyd has frequently been linked with a move to St Andrew's and recently became the Scottish Premier League's record goalscorer.[LNB]But McLeish does not envisage Walter Smith allowing him to leave Ibrox.[LNB]He said: "Kris Boyd's cap has always been in the ring. It would be difficult to see Rangers letting him go because Walter Smith will be looking to go to the Champions League by winning the SPL.[LNB]"So is it worth Walter letting him go? Maybe his future might be in the Premier League. Does he want to come to the Premier League? You need to phone him and ask him!""[LNB]McLeish added: "If we were bottom of the league, we maybe would be panicking just now. We would maybe be trying to bring in Kuranyi or someone like that. But would Kuranyi want to come?"[LNB]McLeish will alter his winning formula for Birmingham's tricky FA Cup clash at Nottingham Forest after admitting "you can't flog players to death".[LNB]McLeish believes City have been handed "the toughest tie of the third round" with Forest in contention for promotion from the Championship.[LNB]The former Scotland boss has fielded the same line-up for eight successive games as part of an 11 match unbeaten sequence which has lifted Blues into seventh spot in the Premier League.[LNB]But McLeish knows certain players need to rest niggly injuries or risk lengthy lay-offs after the recent demanding schedule.[LNB]The likes of Keith Fahey, Kevin Phillips, Lee Carsley, Franck Queudrue, Stuart Parnaby, Gregory Vignal and Damien Johnson could come into contention for rare starts.[LNB]McLeish said: "There will be one or two changes. We don't want to let the momentum slip but you can't flog players to death.[LNB]"Some players have been playing through little niggles, groins, calves, but because of their positive state of mind they have been okay.[LNB]"The confidence in their mind has far outweighed any little niggles that they have. But now there is a chance to do that (rest).[LNB]"If we don't, we are in danger of these players missing more than one game."[LNB]McLeish admitted: "This is a tough tie. It is probably the toughest tie of the round for a Premier League club given Nottingham Forest's fantastic form.[LNB]"I have watched the last few games and Billy Davies, who was a player under me when I was manager at Motherwell, has built a cracking little team."[LNB]Blues defender Stephen Carr is ruled out through suspension after collecting his fifth booking of the campaign at Stoke on Monday.[LNB][LNB] Nottm. Forest v Birmingham. Click here to bet.
