Alex McLeish is aiming to put all off-field issues to one side for at least 24 hours as Birmingham try to reach their first major Wembley final for 55 years in the Carling Cup. McLeish has been frustrated by his inability to bring in a new striker during the transfer window, with attempts to sign Robbie Keane and Kenny Miller ending in failure. Then Birmingham's acting chairman, Peter Pannu, questioned the success rate of some of McLeish's signings during the Carson Yeung era ahead of Saturday's 5-0 mauling by Manchester Old Trafford. But McLeish has remained a dignified figure throughout and is determined nothing will distract from the Carling Cup second-leg clash with West Ham at St Andrew, where Blues will aim to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg. McLeish said: "We are still trying to enhance the squad. We just have to wait and see. If it goes to the wire, it goes to the wire, but I am trying to help the lads to improve for the second half of the season. "It has been frustrating in one or two situations but I will put it to bed for 24 hours and get this semi-final out of the way. As for Peter's comments, we are not getting involved in those comments. We are only talking about the Carling Cup."

Source: PA

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