November 2008 Archives

Parts one to three have been uploaded on-line, and due to popular demand (well, that's what I'm saying anyway), we have decided to include the interview in its entirety.

That takes it up to a six-parter, a real treat for Blues fans.

Your thoughts are welcome.

See part one here - the other parts will appear over the next few days

http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-videos-pictures/2008/11/27/blues-manager-s-big-interview-with-the-mail-part-2-97319-22355194/

http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-videos-pictures/2008/11/27/blues-manager-s-big-interview-with-the-mail-part-3-97319-22354808/

http://www.birminghammail.net/ for the last installment!

In tomorrow's Birmingham Mail, there is an eight page picture pull-out on Alex McLeish's first year in charge at Blues - and we have an exclusive interview with the former Villa manager (sorry for swearing there) who gives us the low down on Keith Fahey.

There was a first at the Birmingham Mail's new HQ, Fort Dunlop, today.

Alex McLeish dropped in to our television studio for an exclusive interview to mark his first anniversary as manager.

It will be available on-line at birminghammail.net from tomorrow, and conclude on Saturday.

In a wide-ranging chat, Eck talked about trying to save Blues from relegation, how they are bouncing back in the Championship, and his long-term aims.

He also outlined his relationship with the board and what it would need to get Blues returned to a competitive footing in the Premier League.

It's the perfect appetiser for Blues fans everywhere ahead of Saturday's top-of-the-table derby at Wolves.

As part of our constantly evolving sports service at the Mail and sister papers The Birmingham Post and The Sunday Mercury, we hope it will be the first of many such interviews.

Your friendly neighbourhood reporter here was the guinea pig to set the ball rolling and ask the questions in our state-of-the-art facility.

And before anyone says 'don't give up the day job', it is now part of the day job.

I hope you enjoy it.

Roberto Martinez was gracious in his praise of Blues before the game

"They do not have a weakness and, if you could choose, you'd only want to play them once a season rather than twice," said the Swansea boss.

Probably a bit too generous (Blues have weaknesses all right) but he perhaps does - and doesn't - want to play them again.

Does because for 25 minutes the Swansea pulled Blues apart and should have been out of sight.

Doesn't because - well, you know Blues - having been knocked down, they scramble up again and get better and stronger to take the game.

It was a harsh lesson of Championship life for Swans at the Liberty Stadium last night.

Alex McLeish started with a 4-5-1, reasonably enough. It worked very well at Bristol City and for spells at Cardiff City.

And considering Swansea's strength is their midfield, and Blues have been over-run in that department on occasions this season, there was logic to it.

However, it doesn't help when you start as if you're still in the warm-up. From the kick-off, Lee Carsley had a ball downfield blocked, Swansea worked possession nicely and caught Blues on their heels - 1-0 after 84 seconds.

Gorka Pintado should have had a hat-trick as the speed, slick passing and clever rotation of Swansea's players left Blues chasing shadows.

Blues do struggle against eager, quick sides who move the ball and themselves well. Get it down the sides or over the top, especially when Blues aren't with it, and all of a sudden they go all wobbly and ragged.

One thing about McLeish, he doesn't stand transfixed in the headlights. The 4-5-1 was scrapped, 4-4-2 employed in the 26th minute.

"We went with the five-man midfield and the plan was burst with the terrible start we had," rued McLeish.

"We conceded possession right away, at kick-off, there were another couple of stray passes and they scored. So Plan A was kind of knackered and we changed it very quickly."

James McFadden went up front alongside Marcus Bent and Sebastian Larsson wide right.

Injury to Ferrie Bodde, Swansea's highly accomplished schemer, affected the home side and Blues came back into it via Bent's powerful back post header from Nicky Hunt's curving cross, after Quincy delivered a defence-splitting pass.

Three minutes into first-half stoppage-time, Swansea got their noses in front again when Angel Rangel - possibly the best-named footballer in the league - ripped past Franck Queudrue in a straight sprint (when he's left exposed like that, there's trouble) and attempted to pull the ball back for the supporting players.

Unfortunately, Liam Ridgewell tried to cut out the cross but it struck his heel and ricocheted through his legs, succeeded in wrong-footing Maik Taylor.

Hunt looked as if he had cleared it off the line, but the linesman - right in front of the Swansea's noisy boys - couldn't get his flag up quick enough. Ridgewell didn't mean it, by the way, in case anyone was wondering . . .

The booing of Liam Ridgewell for his error that resulted in a Charlton Athletic goal has brought into focus whether or not it's 'right' to abuse your own in such manner.

Does such personal vilification galvanise the individual, or turn him into a bag of nerves? Is it deserved? Should booing be at least held over until the end of a game, with
unqualified support of everybody until then?

These are the kind of arguments that have been raging and it has put Blues fan against Blues fan in many cases, as it did on Saturday when some fans tried to back
Ridgewell with a song in response to the booing and ironic cheers.

From Ridgewell's perspective, he was genuinely shocked by the response the next time he touched the ball following the cock-up that allowed Andy Gray through to put Charlton
2-1 up.

Speaking to him afterwards, he didn't try to make an excuse for his error, he knew he should have got some sort of contact on the ball, either with his head or foot, as it dropped over his shoulder.

He admitted, though, that he was 'disappointed' that he was singled out and, for the 15-minute spell up to half-time, he was definitely rattled and his play was affected.

Not that he wanted sympathy, but Ridgewell probably felt that, whatever his limitations, he has never not given his all to the Blues cause.

Fans pay their money, take their choice, so they can boo if they want. No problem with that.

I guess that the reaction on Saturday was of frustrated anguish at Blues going ahead, then going 2-1 down so quickly, with Ridgewell the central figure.

The perception is that he made gaffe after gaffe last season as Blues got relegated, and there were times when he seemed to be a magnet for mishap and didn't help himself.

But he's not quite the chaotic figure he is supposed to be, and the defence was under so much pressure when Blues were battling relegation.

And we're not talking about a £15 million top drawer centre-half, at his peak at 28.

Interestingly, Alex McLeish had mixed feelings about Johan Djourou, who was on-loan from Arsenal. He felt his rawness, positional play and concentration levels caused
problems, but he managed to steer clear of the glare of the spotlight, helped in part due to his athleticism.

Being ex-Villa, Ridgewell has always been on a hiding to nothing. He made the cross-city switch a year last summer knowing it would bring extra pressure.

Contrast that to Gary Cahill. Blues were convinced they had him at one stage and were taken aback when he opted for Bolton Wanderers. Only Cahill knows for sure, but the
suspicion remains that he took the easy option.

McLeish was also surprised that some Blues fans turned on one of their players in such manner. He has been trying to preach a message of positivity and togetherness ever since he was appointed, with the fans playing a major part in that.

But he walked into a unpredictable den of moods swings, from one extreme to another, ever since the 2006 relegation.

It's been a while since a player was so loudly booed (although it was not sustained) by the Blues faithful. Perhaps Mario Melchiot was the last, after he mucked up and let Spurs in to score.

I remember Leigh Jenkinson getting some grief when he dipped his toe into a tackle. Damien Johnson and Paul Furlong for their shirt-throwing antics, and rightly so.

And it's been ages since names were booed when read out over the PA beforehand.

That reminds me of a funny quip by Robert Hopkins, who once turned to a team mate in mock suprise and said: 'Dean Peer? I thought your name was Dean Peer Boooo . . . !'.

That boy Quincy, that question.

Alex McLeish has explained why the winger was left on the bench at Nottingham Forest, much to many people's chagrin.

In essence, McLeish wanted to try to win the game but felt Blues were far too open in the second-half.

Therefore, Cameron Jerome came on to play on the left-hand side instead because McLeish believes he does a better defensive turn than Quincy. And he has more of a physical presence.

McLeish, though, was apparently less than impressed with Jerome's tracking back as the game evolved, and the diligence of others too.

And he wasn't prepared to then risk throwing on Quincy as well as Forest piled through and got at the Blues defence.

With hindsight, he might have done things differently.

Jerome replaced Kemy Agustien in the 58th minute and Kevin Phillips substituted Nigel Quashie with 15 minutes to go.

Jerome has been effective playing as a left winger on occasions, but McLeish knows it is not an ideal scenario.

"At one-each in the game and we weren't doing that well, I thought that Cameron - although he prefers to play through the centre - should come on in the wide area because he can defend a little bit better than Quincy," McLeish said today.

"It would have maybe left us less vulnerable when Nottingham Forest counter-attacked. For instance, we were going forward and looking for Cameron's pace and strength to make a difference, and his power.

"It didn't work out so maybe in retrospect I could have played Quincy.

First a question: the significance of today, November 11, and I'm not referring to Armistice Day? Answer at the end.

Second: do we want Blues to play like Wolves or Reading, brimming with vibrancy and goals?

Yes. And that's not just me talking, but David Sullivan.

It's been a criticism of Blues in recent days, on the back of two defeats and what turned into a narrow escape at Nottingham Forest.

They don't score enough goals, they don't 'do' a Wolves or Reading. More likely to grind a 1-0 and show admirable defensive resolve and all that.

Put to Sullivan, he concurs: "I agree, I would love us to play that way."

But Blues don't, at least yet. And Sullivan, interviewed for a piece in tomorrow's Birmingham Mail about the current plight, isn't happy, but neither is he spitting feathers

He is taking more of an evolutionary view of things, not a revolutionary view.

Don't panic, was the gist, even though we all seem well aware that, despite second place in the Championship, 'something's not quite right'.

Whether Wolves can keep it up remains to be seen. As they blaze away, Blues are soul-searching, Alex McLeish is getting a fair bit of stick and we are back to where we were a couple of years ago: scrutinising every player, every pass, every formation, demanding better and more.

There is a bit of 'always look on the bleak side of life' in every Blues fan. Disappointment and being let down are familiar experiences, which fires the frustration.

But is it all that bad? There have been three 1-0 defeats this season. They've never been a rabble, torn apart. Defensively, they are the strongest unit in the league.

On the flip side, Blues can't take command of a game for the whole 90 minutes. The opposition often seem to be more energetic and athletic when they take it to Blues, who infuriatingly sit back in satisfaction with what they've got instead of go for the throat.

Width, balance and consistency of selection, taking into account injuries, would help.

Sullivan says: "After these teams [Wolves and Reading], you look at the others." The inference being is that are they really any better than Blues?

He continues: "When we went up two years ago, the best team was West Brom, they played all the football. But they missed out.

"Over the course of a season, it [that way] doesn't always work.

"But we know we have got to start scoring more goals, no doubt about it. We have to play a bit better to make sure we come out of this run we are in."

There's more from Sullivan in tomorrow's Birmingham Mail.

As for the answer to the question: a year ago Blues lost 2-1 at home to Villa, which turned out to be Steve Bruce's last game in charge.

As for Armistice Day, lest we forget.

It's been amusingly dubbed the 'Delapidator', and Steve Bruce is faced with the task of dealing with Rory Delap's long throws tomorrow.

Wigan Athletic, who play Stoke City, have a couple of decent chuckers themselves in Mario Melchiot and Maynor Figueroa.

But there's no-one to compare with Delap and his long throw, that has helped account for half of Stoke's goal this season.

Bruce reckons he has a plan to counter the danger posed by Delap's fast and flat deliveries.

And maybe he is calling upon his time as a player at Blues, when Andy Legg was the human catapult.

I was listening to Legg on the radio the other day. He recalled that his best throw of 44.54m earned him a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

He achieved that mark in a specially-arranged contest before an England-Brazil game at Wembley. Not sure what the Samba stars made of it, but I doubt if they started playing the percentage game from then on.

Legg's crown was eventually taken by Dave Challinor, then of Tranmere Rovers now of Colwyn Bay, who lobbed the ball 46.34m.

Legg - who is only 5ft 8in tall - said he found the fuss over Delap's throw funny because the tactic was nothing new. Because of the spotlight on the Premier League, and the fact
that Delap has ruffled the big guns, that's why everyone is talking about it. Ask various Championship defences from last season.

During his time at Blues between 1996 - 98, Barry Fry signing Legg played on the wing or left-back and his long throw wasn't actually that productive, even when 6ft 7in Kevin
Francis was on board.

As I recall, it was only at Derby County's Baseball Ground where the long throw routine worked: Legg launched into in the heart of the area from near the byline, big Kev flicked
the ball on and Gary Breen headed it in at the back post.

After Legg came to the club from Notts County, Blues strike force was hardly taylor-made for his throw. Paul Devlin, Paul Barnes, Paul Peschisolido, Jason Bowen and Jonathan Hunt were all vying with Francis for attacking places.

Fry was sacked soon after Legg arrived and the Welshman's opportunities receded under Trevor Francis.

Legg is still going strong now, playing for Llanelli in the Welsh League.

In 2005, he had to quit playing and assisting for Peterborough United after the removal of a cancerous tumour in his neck. Legg also recovered from a second cancer scare.

Hands up, last time Blues lost three games in a row?

The final days of Steve Bruce. A year ago. Everton (away) 1-3, Villa (home) 1-2 and Portsmouth (home) 0-2, under Eric Black's caretaker charge.

Perhaps more pertinently, the last time at Championship level?

The final days of Trevor Francis. September, 2001. Manchester City (away) 0-3, Burnley (home) 2-3, Preston (home) 0-1, the weekend of the petrol blockades.

Now, not for a minute am I suggesting that big Eck is due the boot should Blues lose at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

But it would be three losses on the trot, something that is unacceptable for a team with title aspirations.

Sure, in the Championship, you can hit the heights and then plumb the depths pretty quickly. Three defeats on the spin doesn't mean promotion has gone.

Yet a another blank return at the City Ground would be highly damaging for Blues and Alex McLeish.

The way it is surrounding the club, criticism is quick and vicious. The recent yo-yo existence has frustrated. We've been here before, seen it and done it. There is not that sense of excitement there should be considering the team has made its best ever start and has topped the table.

Journalists from outside the region who pass through are shocked and can't understand it. Why are the crowds so low, for example. That's one often asked question. How long have you got, is the reply.

Just like in 2006-07, if Blues go up it will be against a backdrop a grumbles and gripes. We're always two defeats away from a crisis.

Are those said gripes and grumbles justified? Yes and no.

Blues are no mugs. They are one of the better teams in the Championship. But they do have to start like the eager beavers all their opponents do against them. They have to be less conservative and considered and take the game to others.

They did against Coventry City - but only after going a goal down.

The challenge for McLeish is to empower his players to cut loose a little bit more, by talk and balance of selection, without forgetting that defences win championships.