Source: Team_Talk
McLeish: I deserve new pay deal
McLeish is understood to on a deal worth around £750,000 a year after making the move to the club two and a half years ago.[LNB]The former Scotland boss is adamant that he is not driven by money and his main ambition when joining Blues was to prove himself in the Premier League.[LNB]But he would be entitled to ask for a pay rise after steering City to promotion from the Championship last season and an eighth spot in the top flight during the current campaign plus an FA Cup quarter-final place.[LNB]McLeish, who is poised to meet new owner Carson Yeung after Sunday's game at Fulham, said: "I am supposed to be having talks with Carson about the real terms of the new contract because that has not been discussed.[LNB]"Money has never been my God. When I joined Birmingham, I told the lawyer to get it dusted because my mission was to prove myself in the Premier League. That was more important.[LNB]"But when you make progress, you look to be on a parity with your contemporaries.[LNB]"There is no timescale and I am not in a massive hurry to get the contract done but I am happy to stay here.[LNB]"It would be great to continue this journey and keeping here so that in 10 years time people can look back and say 'that was a great era at Birmingham City'."[LNB]McLeish admits Birmingham need to improve the infrastructure - including training ground facilities and a larger back-up staff - if they are to improve their current rate of progress.[LNB]But he is adamant he has the full support of Yeung and his partners.[LNB]McLeish said: "Stability is very important, infrastructure is very important. There is no doubt at all that we have been punching about our weight.[LNB]"We will not be able to maintain these levels without getting the infrastructure right but the board are giving me their support.[LNB]"The relationship I have got with the board is terrific and I don't understand where these headlines I have read this week about us being at loggerheads have come from."[LNB]McLeish confirmed he wants to re-sign on loan Manchester City keeper Joe Hart on loan for another season.[LNB]And he believes the England prospect would not want to return to Eastlands unless he was playing first team football.[LNB]McLeish said: "I know City don't want to sell Joe but it would be good if they showed goodwill and allowed Joe to stay with us for another season.[LNB]"I hope they would recognise we have helped to improve Joe as a keeper and I am sure the player would not want to go back and twiddle his thumbs on the bench."[LNB]Birmingham midfielder Sebastian Larsson wants to bury the memory of one of his low points in football by winning at Craven Cottage.[LNB]A 2-0 defeat at Fulham two years ago effectively condemned Blues to relegation from the top flight.[LNB]Larsson said: "That game at Fulham is not a good memory in my career because staying up after that was not in our own hands and we eventually went down.[LNB]"Playing in the Premier League is what everyone wants to do and going down was a bad feeling.[LNB]"We want to erase that memory by winning on Sunday and getting to the 40 point mark although we know it won't be easy and they are a shining example for us.[LNB]"They almost went down as well two years ago and since then they have done so well in turning things around and getting into Europe."[LNB][LNB] Fulham v Birmingham. Click here to bet.
