McLeish eyes quality signings

18 December 2009 15:55
Blues will be looking to equal a 50-year-old club record in the top flight by winning against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday.[LNB]Three points against David Moyes' side will represent a sixth successive win for City and emulate their achievement of the 1958-59 campaign.[LNB]McLeish is determined not to repeat events of two years ago when he failed to bring in the required number of players in January 2008 to give Birmingham a realistic chance of avoiding relegation.[LNB]And he will have the promise of £20-£40million to spend from new owner Carson Yeung in making sure Blues do not suffer a similar slump to Hull who faded in the second half of last season.[LNB]McLeish said: "January is the key for me, to bring in two or three players who can help us enhance the quality of the squad.[LNB]"We will need them for a rainy day - if somebody is suspended or injured. Then we will definitely have the cover there to put them in.[LNB]"We will continue to be prudent in the choice of players and the spending.[LNB]"But I will look forward to the second part of the season and the January window.[LNB]"Sometimes it can be a burden but I felt the last time we were in the Premier League, two years ago, we never added to the squad and that cost us."[LNB]McLeish is keeping his cards close to his chest about any possible signings but has a number of potential captures on his radar.[LNB]He said: "I'm not going to name any players publicly. We have a number of lists and players under scrutiny. We will continue to do that diligence.[LNB]"We are not down the road yet where we have enough knowledge about transfer fees or wages or that kind of thing - but we are sowing some seeds."[LNB]McLeish places high demands on his players in terms of work-rate and commitment but does not feel he has to change the line-up against the Toffees.[LNB]He said: "We don't really have the capacity to do the rotation stuff, as yet. The reason for not doing it (making changes) is that the players are very confident.[LNB]"They seem to still have a spring in their step. I don't see any signs on the training ground of fatigue. We will persevere with these lads who have done so well.[LNB]"Also when you are winning, you don't feel tired. It's a psychological thing, down to the chemicals, however it works, in terms of your body and your brain.[LNB]"But the mind is such a powerful tool in life. If the players are playing with confidence and getting results, they almost feel invincible.[LNB]"Goodison Park is formidable place to go to but we will go there the way we went to Old Trafford, the Emirates Stadium, White Hart Lane, Anfield - believing in ourselves."[LNB]McLeish is set to name an unchanged line-up for the sixth successive match.[LNB]The last time City went half a dozen games with the same line-up was during the 1998-99 campaign.[LNB]McLeish has no fresh injury worries or concerns about the fitness levels of his side as they prepare for their third game in eight days.[LNB]David Murphy, Teemu Tainio, Martin Taylor and Garry O'Connor remain long-term injury absentees.[LNB][LNB] Barclays Prem W/out Top 4 2009/10 Win Outright: Birmingham 66/1  

Source: Team_Talk