McLeish ignores off-field distractions

10 April 2010 10:30
irmingham manager Alex McLeish is focused on events on the pitch as the club's current and former regimes look set to meet in the High Court.[LNB] Birmingham's new owner, Carson Yeung, has issued a writ against David Sullivan, David Gold, Ralph Gold, Karren Brady and Roger Bannister.[LNB]But McLeish is not fazed by the dispute and said: "It is no problem for me at all. I am not losing any sleep over it. I hope that everything is resolved.[LNB]"I would like everything to be right for the owners as their concern is for Birmingham City. My concern is Birmingham City and if everything is okay for them then everything is okay for us.[LNB]"I work for Carson Yeung and I would like to see things being right for the owner of this club. If he is happy then everyone is happy."[LNB]Of more pressing concern to McLeish is facing Manchester City in their Premier League encounter on Sunday.[LNB]On the eve of the clash he has been forced to dismiss claims that midfielder Sebastian Larsson has lost his place in the side due to stalled contract talks.[LNB]Sweden international Larsson will again be on the bench against City having fallen behind winter signing Craig Gardner in the pecking order.[LNB]Birmingham have taken up the one-year option they hold on Larsson but have yet to agree a new long-term deal with the former Arsenal winger.[LNB]But McLeish insists his contractual situation has nothing to do with him being on the bench.[LNB]"That is wrong because I judge the players on football terms," he said.[LNB]"It is not that I think that Craig Gardner is better than Seb Larsson or that Seb is better than Craig.[LNB]"Seb has had a fantastic season for us. But when the great run the team had ended, it appeared that one or two players needed freshening up.[LNB]"Craig Gardner has come in and done nothing basically wrong. I think Seb will be the first to concede that if he had done nothing wrong he would not be out of the team.[LNB]"Some players go off the boil. James McFadden has also found himself on the bench this season; Christian Benitez came back after a confidence loss and then went off the boil.[LNB]"You cannot tell players in the Premier League: 'I am going to give you six or seven games. I don't care what the results are, I will give you six or seven games'.[LNB]"I cannot keep everyone happy. If I did that I would be compromising myself."[LNB]One player who has struggled to make an impact since his arrival in January from Sporting Gijon is Spanish midfielder Michel.[LNB]His spell at Birmingham hit a new low on Wednesday when he was sent off in the reserves against Chelsea.[LNB]He will be on the bench against City, however, and McLeish said: "We have got to pick Michel up.[LNB]"He has not had as much game play as he would have liked at this stage of the season.[LNB]"But the two midfield players, Barry Ferguson and Lee Bowyer, have been exceptional.[LNB]"I think 'Mich' is short of fitness and sharpness and he needs to be ready for next season."

Source: Team_Talk