Transfer lists

Seems that a quote by David Sullivan has generated a bit of comment, the one about the board providing a list of names to Alex McLeish.

Perhaps it's best to clarify.

The Blues board have not gone power mad and are calling the shots.

They're not scouring the Championship Manager squads and suggesting who to go for (at least I think not).

When I spoke to Sullivan, he was making a general point about the amount of players that had been considered prior to the transfer window shutting.

He also said that McLeish, naturally, had his own targets in mind. That bit tended to get overlooked.

As for the quote about buying youngers players, that was a personal perference of Sullivan, again qualified in the next sentence.

None of it should be taken to mean that McLeish is being told what to do. Far from it.

There have been tremendous problems caused at West Ham United and Newcastle United because their boards have assumed control of transfers to such an unprecedented degree, for this country anyway.

It's common practice abroad, but not here.

Plenty of recommendations and tips about players come into Blues via the directors, and it's not a problem for McLeish.

He had read the story himself and smiled when I broached it with him today.

Here's what he had to say:

"Karren Brady came to me with three of four loan players, centre-halves.

"Don't get me wrong, losing Bobo Balde, I'm thinking 'should I have taken them?'.

"At the time I thought I was certain of getting him, and I didn't think these players would have enhanced us.

"So in terms of lists from Karren, the chairman, the board and that, they have got loads of contacts as well.

"We are all active and taking an interest in what's happening, players who are around, everybody keeps each other in the loop.

"David Sullivan gets names thrown into him from his various contacts throughout the UK and the world, and Karren's going to get names thrown into her as the MD would do anyway at any club. David Gold even threw one into me a wee while ago, some French guys came up to see me.

"You can only listen. If it's not there, or not what you're after, you dismiss it. One of these days, you might pick somebody up.

"I've got my own contacts and [chief scout] Paul Montgomery came into me with his list of people - and if nothing works out, then I just blame him!"

Luciano Figueroa has been brought up, and he was a 'gift' from Sullivan. Steve Bruce was happy to go along, as he was over and above what else was being bought at the time.

Bruce, though, made no promises that Figueroa would walk into the team. And he didn't. Neither did Sullivan kick up a fuss and demand his inclusion, like some egotistical president in Spain.

When Bruce told the board, after relegation, that he needed more funds for firepower, Cameron Jerome was snapped-up for £3 million.

What helped sway that deal was the fact that Sullivan liked the player and he was helping his home-town club Cardiff City as well.

Carson Yeung's 'pal' Steve McManaman suggested some Real Madrid reserves, which Bruce wasn't keen on and wasn't forced to take.

The board, though, did suggest that Yeung should find the money to buy Darius Vassell for Bruce as a gesture of his intent. Half-cheeky, half calling his bluff - and he didn't.

In my experience, these are isloated incidents. Sullivan and the board may dictate fiscal policy, but they don't order what players should be bought, or who should be in the team.

"You have to back your manager," said Sullivan.

McLeish would know he's in real trouble if, somewhere down the line, he went to the board for £4 million for a player and was flatly refused. Ask Trevor Francis re Christian Poulsen.