Faddy good

James McFadden, the new Blues contract rebel?

Not quite.

In regard to the round of stories about McFadden and his deal, it is worth clarifying.

I was present when he was interviewed after the Liverpool game.

Out of the blue, apropos nothing in particular, one journalist asked him how long he had left on his own contract.

He answered, and made reference to the old way under the previous regime of sticking options onto everything, which he thought caused confusion.

He has been quoted correctly, but the context twisted. The journalist who asked the question is a freelance and desperately tries to generate a juicy line from the Scottish and Irish players at Blues so he can sell stories to the Scottish and Irish papers direct. This is what happened here.

McFadden wasn't demanding a new contract, he wasn't demanding talks and so on, he wasn't kicking up a fuss.

He answered, truthfully and innocently, a question about his agreement and it has mushroomed into a slightly controversial story, which it really shouldn't be considering the circumstances.

Having got to know him since he has been here, he is committed to the club, has a desire to do well and help move Blues on and is genuinely optimistic about the near future.

Although he has had this 'lazy' tag thrown at him, he runs around 11km a game, among the highest distances clocked up by any player.

That he doesn't sprint in high intensity style like Cameron Jerome - that's not his type of game - probably clouds assessment.

McFadden is arguably the most techincally gifted of Blues players, and certainly one of the biggest dressing room influences and practical jokers, too.

He is always challenging Blues performance analyst Joe Carnall [Pro-Zone stats and all that] to do crazy things.

One was for him to eat 10 Big Macs in 10 minutes for £100 (medical advice meant this task didn't go ahead).

But McFadden was left impressed by Carnall's ability to scoff 300 sherbert flying saucers, without taking a drink, in half an hour!

Now, maybe McFadden might want the contract options to be looked at in time and firmed up, but he has been a little bit kippered here so bear that in mind when passing judgment.

On the Liverpool game, I'm not a big Rafa Benitez fan and in fact I think the tolerance shown to him by their fans has been pretty remarkable.

But he got it right by bringing off Fernando Torres. He was having an afternoon when he didn't look like he was in synch, and Blues defence were keeping an excellent check on him.

Roger Johnson and Scott Dann, take a bow again.

He might have been 'exhausted', but he knew he wasn't getting a moment's peace.

Just like Didier Drogba on Boxing Day; Johnson gave the Chelsea striker a doing that he usually dishes out to centre-halves. So credit to Blues.

When David Ngog came on, Liverpool were more dangerous and active. Sure, Ngog missed three chances - karma working, as Glenn Hoddle might say - but he did more than Torres.

On that subject, Ngog gets slated quite a bit. Put him in Blues side and play him regularly . . . I don't think he's as bad as people make out.

He caused Blues problems at Anfield (the dive? I know, I know . . . ) and did so again on Sunday.

He should become more polished and his speed, agility and athleticism make him a difficult customer.

A striker with those sort of qualities, given some slack, would help Blues, as part of a forward unit. Someone like Ngog or even a Bobby Zamora, who has presence as well.

Alex McLeish is off to the Standard Liege - Hamburg Europa Cup tie on Thursday.

Given that Milan Jovanovic is apparently Liverpool-bound, his eyes must be elsewhere.

The Belgium side are apparently ready to cash in on their other assets who are attackers Igor de Camargo and Dieumerci Mbokani, midfielders Steven Defour and Axel Witsel.

Hamburg's players may be more out of Blues range. Jerome Boateng is being trailed by Manchester City and fellow defender Guy Demel has attracted Premier League interest.

Up front, Mladen Petric has been a dangerous perfomer.