McLeish hopes to repeat £10m trick

23 April 2010 16:12
irmingham boss Alex McLeish will only have £10million to spend on new players - and fears he can't keep "pulling rabbits out of a hat".[LNB] McLeish worked wonders with a similar figure last summer when he attracted the likes of Roger Johnson, Scott Dann, Barry Ferguson and Lee Bowyer, who have been the driving force behind City's success during the current campaign.[LNB]New club owner Carson Yeung arrived in October promising to spend lavish amounts on McLeish's squad including "£20-40million" during the January transfer window.[LNB]But McLeish parted with only a fraction of that amount in signing Craig Gardner and Michel. And, although he is confident of receiving the backing of the board, he admitted the funds available in the close season will be similar to 12 months ago.[LNB]The former Scotland boss, currently preparing for Sunday's derby at Aston Villa, said: "What we've already done is terrific. We are well down the pecking order in terms of facilities, money, infrastructure, and it is an incredible achievement already.[LNB]"Will there be more than £10million to spend this summer? It won't be much more than that.[LNB]"We've got to be as prudent as ever and try and enhance the quality of the squad. We will try to get players (without spending too much) but you can't keep pulling rabbits out of the hat.[LNB]"I heard Walter Smith talking about having a fantastic season at Rangers and then, because he's done well on a limited budget, they think they can take a bit more away and he can do it again.[LNB]"I worked like that at Rangers as well and you can't keep doing that. You can't keep pulling rabbits out of the hat. There has to be investment and I am sure the board will back me."[LNB]McLeish's revelations about his summer spending power came on the day chief executive Michael Dunford resigned after only six months in the role.[LNB]The timing of the departure has surprised McLeish but he is adamant it will not affect preparations for the meeting with Martin O'Neill's side.[LNB]He said: "Michael seemed a smashing lad. You normally work with people a lot longer before you get to know them. It is an administration thing. These things happen.[LNB]"He has not been in the job that long and, if you bring a chief executive and he goes that early, then yes, it is a little bit unusual.[LNB]"I liked working with him and the communication lines were tremendous but it is not something that is going to affect the players.[LNB]"It's not my business. I'm more concerned with the Villa game at the weekend."[LNB]McLeish has huge respect for O'Neill since the duo locked horns when in charge of Rangers and Celtic respectively.[LNB]And he admits "nothing surprises me any more" after all the speculation about O'Neill's future.[LNB]He said: "Martin and I go back a long way in terms of Rangers-Celtic clashes. He is a top manager. He has been at it longer than me and has a very successful record as a manager.[LNB]"It is a privilege to go up against guys like Martin but at the end of the day we know it is down to the players."[LNB]Asked if he was surprised to hear speculation about O'Neill's future after the season Villa have had, McLeish added:[LNB]"Nothing surprises you these days. Expectation levels grow out of proportion.[LNB]"We've seen it all before in recent years where one or two managers come fifth or sixth and then they are out the next season because they can't get into the Champions League.[LNB]"It is a little bit of the nature of it these days, the knee jerk and blame culture we live in and expectation levels are out of proportion."

Source: Team_Talk