Hola Michel

Everywhere new Blues signing Michel goes, he has one thing on his person: an English-Spanish dictionary.

He turned up with it when he formally met the press at an official unveiling at St Andrew's.

He doesn't speak English yet, but he is obviously keen to get to grips with the language.

Mind, if Alex McLeish starts talking 'nippy sweetie', 'gallas', 'blutered' and 'shooty in', he might as well give up now.

Good job he didn't join Stoke City, I'm not sure 'launch it' translates very well. Had he gone to V***a, maybe 'set-piece' would be all that he needs to know.

Michel, say the people who have been around him the past few days, will thumb through the dictionary when he hears new words.

He wants to learn and immerse himself in his new surroundings as quickly as possible, which is always an encouraging sign.

He answered media questions via Blues interpreter, Giles, the silver-haired gent you may see in the technical area on match days (no, not Roy Aitken) who has been Christian Benitez's translator.

Michel, to my mind, has been earmarked as Barry Ferguson's heir apparent. He is comfortable in possession and likes to pass the ball.

As to whether he will cope with the physical nature and hurly-burly of football on these shores, he gave the impression that he knew what he was getting into.

And, according to those who have seen him in La Liga, he's been known to stick his foot in and mix it.

He comes from the Asturias region of north Spain, which is very temperate, very British in its climate. So he's not sullened by a drop of rain. He seems to have taken the recent snow in his stride as well.

He has watched Blues twice now and was smitten by the atmosphere at the Manchester United match and the unique theatre of such a Premier League encounter.

Michel came through the ranks at Sporting Gijon and, interestingly, has spent only one-and-a-half years in La Liga. Sporting were promoted from the Second Division in 2008.

Therefore, it's quite a bold step for Michel and Blues.

The last Spanish player to come to St Andrew's didn't fare so well.

Borja Oubina was brought in on loan from Celta Viga, got three minutes as a substitute at home to Bolton Wanderers and was stretchered off after just 13 minutes of his starting debut at Liverpool in September with ruptured knee ligaments.

We never saw him again. Steve Bruce put great store in Oubina as Blues playmaker, someone who could keep the ball for the side and hopefully make them tick.

McLeish, after taking the job, felt Blues needed just that sort of player too and has Ferguson, another clever schemer in Teemu Tainio and now Michel. Blues midfield is now less dogs of war, more pedigree chums.