Ferguson heaps praise on McLeish

A measure of the St Andrew's club's progress will come on Saturday when they host Manchester United in the Premier League.After losing to Ferguson's side on the opening day of the season Birmingham have kicked on and are unbeaten in 11 top-flight games.It is a remarkable run considering it is their first season back in the top flight after finishing runners-up to Wolves in the Championship last season.McLeish, who played under Ferguson during his trophy-laden spell at Aberdeen, has turned things around after arriving as manager in November 2007.The Scot shrugged off the disappointment of relegation in his first season to steer the club straight back up again.Now Birmingham lie eighth in the table and are only five points off a Champions League place.Ferguson believes McLeish has to be complimented on the way he goes about his business."There is an improvement in the league. You have to assess it that way, " said the United manager."Look at Birmingham for instance and the fantastic job Alex McLeish has done. He only had a small amount of money to budget with when they came into the Premier League."He brought Barry Ferguson down from Rangers and brought in the centre-half from Cardiff (Roger Johnson)."He has used players who have been there for a long time now. What he has done has been marvellous."Ferguson added: "They are now eighth in the league and have gone 11 games without defeat."It tells you that Birmingham had to improve as a team from last season. They have done that remarkably well."The general standard of the league has improved. That is why you are getting so many different results."

Source: Team_Talk