McLeish eager for McFadden boost

30 March 2009 15:13
The Scotland international forward has not featured since January's 1-0 victory over Derby at St Andrew's having been forced to undergo knee surgery. However, he was expected to return to training on Monday morning with a view to being in the frame to face Wolves next week. And McLeish is delighted to see him back in the mix again. "He has had a tough season. The player who joined us last year from Everton was a top level player. His performances were top level," said McLeish in the Birmingham Mail. "He was cut down in the Newcastle game and we really haven't seen him in full fitness since then. Pre-season, he was still getting little bits of swelling in his knee, he was never at his sharpest because of Scotland games, then illness then injury. It's been a pretty wretched season for him. "But when he has been in the team, despite all that, he has created something. He has created a goal out of nothing at Southampton, scored a goal at Cardiff, he set up Quincy in the Derby game... he still produces pieces of magic. We want him at his top level and when he's at the type of level he showed in the Premier League last season with Birmingham, then he's a top player."

Source: Team_Talk