ALEX McLEISH is desperate to stamp his own Tartan tattoo on
the Premier League thanks to a chat with Alex Ferguson.
Birminghams new boss quit as Scotland coach after a heart-to-heart
with the Manchester United chief.
Fergie reckoned St Andrews would be right up McLeishs street
after his stint with the national team and Rangers. McLeish,
nicknamed Big Eck, has been given three-and-a-half years to take
Brum from Premier League strugglers to top-eight contenders. And he
admitted: I spoke to Sir Alex about taking this job. He was
definitely positive about this move.
I know him from my early Aberdeen days. I knew how hard he worked
and I think that kind of rubs off on you. You hear people telling
him to retire and he has still got an absolute desire to carry on.
There is probably a desire to prove yourself out of Scotland as
well the old chip on the shoulder that we Scots have. McLeish,
who had four-and-a-half years at Ibrox, came within a whisker of
taking Scotland to Euro 2008.
But when Brum came calling and indicated they were willing to
treble Ecks £400,000 pay packet, it was no contest. The Scot
inherits a squad from Steve Bruce which is one point above the drop
zone after a miserable run of one win in eight league games. But
McLeish, 48, is bullish when it comes to talking up the chances of
survival.
McLeish is Brums fourth manager in 15 years and chairman David
Gold believes that he has found a gem. Gold said: You can see how
relaxed, measured and confident Alex is. McLeish replaces Bruce,
who left St Andrews for Wigan because of uncertainty about the
clubs future.
There is still a £50million takeover in the offing, although no one
at Brum believes Carson Yeung will complete it. Tomorrow is D-Day
for the Hong Kong businessman to get his documentation together or
he will miss the December 21 deadline set by co-owner David
Sullivan. Gold hopes to stay on as chairman whatever happens and
that was enough to persuade McLeish to sign without an escape
clause.