March 2008 Archives

Alex McLeish is not a man for hyperbole or grand statements

So when he says the 'must win scenario is starting to kind of loom on the horizon', you know it's serious.

That's just what tomorrow's game against Manchester City is. Three points, no ifs, no buts.

But McLeish isn't piling even more pressure on his players. Far from it. He believes they can handle the situation they are in, and have shown no sign of nerves.

But now is the time for action.

At his regular media briefings pre-match, he is an impressive customer.

When he said those words above in front of the assembled press at Wast Hills, it didn't come across as the desperate ramblings of a man fearing the worst, or not in control.

McLeish is every bit the opposite and his calm assurance when discussing Blues precarious position in the Premier League table sends out the right message.

He is as measured and focused in the dressing room and on the training field, which is why it's not panic stations down at Blues.

It's been interesting to see the reaction to the interview with Mehdi Nafti post-Reading.

The concensus of opinion is that here is a man who cares passionately about his club, who has professional pride and talks a lot of sense.

Not for Nafti are glib throwaway phrases. When he speaks, he does so after thinking for a few moments about the questions put to him.

When I asked him for a word as he made his way from the dressing room areas past the waiting media on Saturday, it was not a problem.

It's never too much trouble for Nafti, and he understands the value and importance of communicating to supporters via the Birmingham Mail, especially after a defeat.

During the interview, you could sense his mind whirring, his frustration at Blues plight. But he was always going to tell it like he saw it regardless.

There were a few home truths in there, but so what? Honesty is refreshing and it can help focus minds.

OK, left-back, the 'problem position for Blues'.

Here they are, in all their glory, since Cardiff 2002

Grainger

Kenna

Carter

Damien Johnson

Michael Johnson

Powell

Sadler

Clapham

Woodhouse

Clemence

Tebily

Lazaridis

Upson

Gray

Painter

Larsson

Kelly

Queudrue

Parnaby

Schmitz

Murphy

Darren Carter started at left-back for Blues a couple of time, including the derby at Albion in October 2002 (a 1-1 draw, Darren Moore own goal).

He had a rocky old time of it there at Spurs in January 2004, when Steve Bruce ended up shifting Stephen Clemence to the position, then Michael Johnson, then Jeff Kenna, all in the first-half of a comprehensive 4-1 defeat.

Curtis Woodhouse played the last quarter at left-back at Manchester United in December 2002 and earlier that season Darryl Powell had an uncomfortable baptism there when Manchester City visited.

The problems then were caused by Martin Grainger's injury woes, and although Kenna and then Jamie Clapham did sterling jobs, the berth was not properly nailed down.

Julian Gray impressed as a sleek, athletic full-back - remember him marking Manchester
United's Ronaldo out of the game? - and was talked about as an England candidate.

Stan Lazaridis, who had played left-back for a while for Australia, then the got the gig before it came full circle to Mat Sadler in the Championship.

As for Ferdinand Coly, his couple of appearances were at right-back, although remembering his
erratic debut at Fulham, no-one was quite sure where he was supposed to be on the pitch, least of all himself.

As it seems everyone out there loves a brain teaser, here's another.

Flicking through my record books, I worked out that Blues have, astonishingly, used 21 different players at left-back since the play-off final at Cardiff in 2002.

David Murphy, or course, is the man who has possession of the jersey at present.

For his sake, let's hope the jinx doesn't do for him.

When I told him the other day about Blues left-back woes, he was certainly surprised.

Fingers crossed it wasn't the kiss of death.

So, then, can you name the other 20?

Take into account that I have included a few players who have had to fill-in, and were moved to the position during games for either tactical reasons or out of necessity.

In time honoured tradition, answer on Monday . . .

If Sepp Blatter was picking a fantasy football team, you would think Martin Taylor would be included.

The FIFA president seems obsessed by the Blues centre-half.

Not that he's probably ever seen him play, or checked his character.

All Blatter has done is put Taylor forward as his latest cause celebre, a convenient kicking post.

Blatter would have you believe that he's on a crusade to clean up football and protect talented players.

Had he waited and not jumped on the bangwagon that Arsene Wenger first propelled, he might
have found much better subject matter.

Sebastian Larsson's decision to leave Arsenal is slowly but surely being vindicated.

The winger has established himself as an integral part of the Blues side.

Such that Alex McLeish said it would be a massive blow were Blues to lose him to a knee ligament injury (there's an update on his fitness in today's Birmingham Mail by the way).

And, after earning his first cap in February, he is set to become a regular in the Sweden national team.

Larsson provides great thrust and energy on the right-hand side for Blues. He has excellent vision and has a habit of popping up with vital goals.

Re 'guess the team'.

Yup, it was the side that played Oxford United at St Andrew's on March 6, 1993, the first game of the David Sullivan era.

Sullivan completed the purchase of the club a couple of days earlier and later invited the Gold brothers on board.

Remember the Daily Sport dancers on the pitch and Karren Brady, wearing some kind of pink puffa jacket if I remember rightly, being introduced by Jack Wiseman?

Paul Peschisolido got the only goal in the 29th minute and 11,104 turned up for the latest 'rebirth of the Blues'.

A few weeks later George Parris, David Smith, Richard Dryden, Paul Moulden and Andy Saville were recruited by manager Terry Cooper.

Blues stayed up in the old Division Two on the final day, Moulden's suspiciously looking offside goal beating Charlton Athletic at St Andrew's.

Sullivan - who speaks revealingly about his 15th anniversary in charge in tonight's Birmingham Mail - came to the rescue after Blues spent five months in Receivership.

Two days after the Kumar empire was plunged into turmoil by the BCCI crash in November 1992, Blues went to Bristol City and crashed 3-0.

Ian Clarkson and Darran Rowbotham were sent-off and who got a hat-trick for the Robins? A certain Andy Cole.

That season, Steve Bruce led Manchester United to their first Premier League title (the American franchise from across the road were runners-up), Newcastle United won Division One and Cardiff City the old Division Four title.

Steve Vickers (for Tranmere Rovers) and Martin O'Connor (Walsall) scored in their respective play-off semi-finals, both lost.

Memories, eh?

Here's a question to get you thinking over the weekend:

The significance of this team, please?

Bob Catlin

Paul Holmes

John Frain

Dean Peer

Paul Mardon

Trevor Matthewson

Ian Rodgerson

Simon Sturridge (substituted, Louie Donowa 82 minutes)

John Gayle

Paul Peschisolido (substituted, Paul Fenwick 67 minutes)

Paul Tait

Answer on Monday . . .

It was one of those familiar sinking feelings at Fratton Park.

Blues began slowly, dug themselves a hole, yet played well in the main, and bossed the second-half. However, they lost.

And that's been a familiar pattern this season.

From the opening day at Chelsea, to Manchester United at home, Everton, Villa, Bolton away, Sunderland . . . the list goes on.

There is not that much wrong with Blues that eradicating defensive errors and refusing to allow their minds to go a wandering every now and again can't put right.

They are not getting bashed like Derby County, and their superior goal difference to rival clubs around them is testament that they at least fall fighting.

But they continue to walk that fine line between success and failure, which is mentally as well as physically draining.

They just won't let it lie, will they?

First Sepp Blatter reckons Martin Taylor's tackle on Eduardo was an 'attack' and he was seeking to 'destroy' him.

Then Carlos Queiroz, talking about Manchester United's defeat by Portsmouth and bemoaning referees (with some justification) took up the baton.

Chuntering on about a lack of protection he said 'this is why the Taylors of this world can survive and the best players are out of the game'.

Excuse me, Carlos, did you see Wayne Rooney's lunge at Niko Kranjcar on Saturday? Had he connected, he could have done serious damage.