The turn out of Blues fans in Westendorf for the FC Augsburg friendly was highly impressive.

There's many more here than last year and about 250 made up a crowd of more than 400 at the Waldstadion.

Shame that there was no cheer apart from the beer, that went down well - too well in some cases - as temperatures reached 30 degress Celsius.

Blues were again beaten 2-0 and were sluggish, the passing was skewiff and the 4-3-3
malfunctioned.

Augsburg are nearing the end of their pre-season preparations - this was their fifth friendly - and had more spark, more sharpness.

There is no question that Blues have been putting the hard yards in during training, in sweltering conditions.

Yet the wisdom of having two matches in three days, against good opposition who are more advanced fitness-wise and settled on the pitch, has to be questioned.

Afterwards Alex McLeish made a point of thanking the support the team has received and said he was sorry Blues had been unable to give the fans a victory so far.

Such tours were essentially about getting the mileage in the legs, he added, and not about the results.

Formation-wise, the tinkering will stop the deeper Blues go into pre-season and McLeish, I gather, knows in his own mind what does and doesn't work with the certain players in certain positions.

Our photographer Tim Easthope patiently waited at the Augsburg end to get decent action, and it's fair to say most of the time he was looking down the pitch to the other goal.

During the first-half Blues substitutes were warming up near him and all of a sudden Cameron Jerome decided to whip his £7,000 Nikon out of his hands with the words 'let's have a go then'.

Jerome's picture of Marcus Bent can be seen here.

Of course, it would be an easy gag to crack about Jerome not being able to shoot straight, so I won't.

It was relatively low key Blues opening friendly against VfB Stuttgart.

Two goals in the space of five minutes late on settled the match in the Germans favour.

Blues were steady without being spectacular and were never over-ran by Stuttgart, who finished third in the Bundesliga last season.

It got a bit disjointed in the final 15 minutes but it was a decent work out all told.

The intrigue from Zell am See was the inclusion of James McFadden wide on the right.

Alex McLeish seems to be leaning to that position for him this season rather than a striker's role.

Roger Johnson looked assured in defence and you sense Blues have made a good pick-up there.

Barry Ferguson, seen here chatting with Stuttgart coach and former Blackburn Rovers team mate Markus Babbel, is feeling his way in.

Director Michael Wiseman arrived at the game and was, as ever, the generous host.

He bought all the Blues fans watching from the main stand a drink and then acted as a taxi service when Maureen Knight - 'Blue Nose Mo' from Redditch - and Pam Williams, from Bartley Green, plus her offspring Christopher and Lindsey, thought they might be stuck in Zell am See.

They needed to get to the Blues base in Westendorf, some 75km away, where the next match is held.

Post-match, Blues players were plunged straight into ice baths on the track surround pitchside before their departure to the hotel.

And the next morning those who played the majority of the minutes were taken on a bike ride through the forest trails and up the mountains. Some 'warm down' - they were gone the best part of three hours.

So far there have been no casualties although many have to be reminded to cycle on the right hand side of the road . . .

It was down to business with a vengeance at the Waldstadion, Westendorf's football ground, for Blues.

A double training session was held during the first full day here in Austria.

After fitness coach Ben Rosenblatt put the squad of 23 through their paces, coaches Andy Watson and Roy Aitken took over for various football drills.

At another part of the field, Dave Watson worked with goalkeepers Maik Taylor, Joe Hart and Colin Doyle.

Watson has the 'keepers out training before the main group, and they go through a whole host of spefically designed drills to improve agility, flexibility, reactions and concentration.

In my time covering Blues, I've not seen the goalkeeper worked as hard and as meticulously as they are under his command.

Talking of flexibility, head physio Tim Williamson has brought something different to the training regime - Thai massage.

He spent a few weeks in Thailand during the summer learning the ways of an art that has its roots in the traditions of Buddhist culture.

Here it may look as if he is doing things he shouldn't to Franck Queudrue, but the various stretching disciplines it encompasses are designed to increase players
vitality, flexibility, mobility and tranquility.

The former Celtic phyios says that Henrik Larsson is a fan and undergoes a series of exercises before every game, which he believes has contributed significantly to
his career longevity.

Having spent much of the summer recharging the batteries and lounging in the sun, it's common for players to be sporting nice tans on their return to pre-season training.

Mind, Scott Hiley had a permatan that made him glow like David Dickinson in December.

Sebastian Larsson's hair looks suspiciously blonder but he insists he has not bleached it; it was down to the sun. I suppose he is Swedish after all.

And as for Martin Taylor, he has succumbed to the inevitable thinning on top and had his head shaved. He cuts quite a menancing figure, which probably suits the Arsenal stereotype.

In our picture, I'm not sure what exactly he's thinking; he's either been already broken by the exertions of the training or is next up for the Thai massage . . .

It was like returning to see an old friend entering the Austrian village of Westendorf again.

Blues stayed here last year, such were the facilities and quiet to Alex McLeish's liking, and the Birmingham Mail shadowed the tourists.

Set on a plateau in the Brixental valley 800m up, it's a well-known ski resort in winter popular with Brits.

There's not much to it other than a main drag around which hotels and pensions are dotted.

The many wooden buildings are typically Tirolean in style and finely crafted.

Blues train at the local football club's pitch, set in a spectacular location, where all it takes is a Savo Milosevic miscue to send the ball tumbling down a sheer drop into a river basin behind one of the goals.

I guess when you do see an old friend again, there are usually some subtle changes you can identify.

Disturbingly, it seemed that The Village Pub, a popular watering hole - visited only in the interests of investigative journalism and research in 2008, of course - has been shut.

And the Alpenrosenfest, an all day and night music, dancing and beer festival which sees the streets closed off to all but hundreds of revellers, had been held 24 hours earlier, albeit it was cancelled due to torrential rain.

The timing was right last year, it coincided with Blues tour (and joint first team coach Andy Watson's lederhosen had to be seen to be believed - and I kid you not!) but that's what happens when you win promotion to the Premier League and you plan your schedule on later dates.

The team arrived late last night, via transfer from Munich, a few hours after the Birmingham Mail's award-winning (as he likes to be known) photographer Tim Easthope.

Tim was on duty with Albion in Slovenia last week, taking pictures of the likes of Roberto di Matteo, Jonathan Greening, Jonas Olsson and . . . . Ziva Vadnov, a Miss World contestant, who just happened to be staying at the Baggies hotel.

I'm not sure what he's expecting this next week as the majority of the guests in Westendorf are eldery Austrians or Germans, the men resplendent in long biege shorts, white socks and sandals. I'm sure you get the picture.

Tim picked up a hire car at Graz airport and drove five hours west into the Alpine region. Thirsty work, he complained in a call on his mobile on the way, especially as temepatures in Slovenia had been a constant 30 degrees celsius.

I told him I'd meet him the Village Pub and buy him a drink . . .

Like most people, I think when Barry Ferguson's name kept cropping up over the summer I just wasn't sure.

Neither, it appeared, was Alex McLeish.

At a BRMB forum, he wondered aloud whether Ferguson's best days had come and gone.

Answering questions about the many Ferguson links, Eck would say yes, Blues could do with a player of his ilk, but not necessarily Ferguson himself.

He never ruled him in, he never ruled him out.

Well, Ferguson is on his way to St Andrew's as McLeish decided after weighing up cost, ability, experience and the fact that he knows the guy inside out, meant it was worth proceeding with.

Ferguson, as I understand, has been desperate to come to St Andrew's, which is at least a good sign.

It was only in the last few days that McLeish gave the green light and asked Karren Brady to negotiate a fee with Rangers.

Other targets - there were eight balls being juggled, so to speak, as David Sullivan commented - perhaps were no-gos, or prohibitive financially.

Ferrie Bodde, of Swansea City, was talked about by the management. He is just recovering from serious knee damage and Bolton Wanderers have tried, and failed, to get him for £2.5 million.

And here, we should make it clear, that Patrick Vieira has always been considered a one-off case, not so much a 'special case', but the icing on top, if it were to materialise.

In going for Ferguson, McLeish doesn't just intend to draw a line under his midfield dealings.

On the contrary, he wants another player, a player with younger legs, dynamism, someone who might be busting a gut to prove himself.

A player like Villa's Craig Gardner, for example, would be tagged at about £5 million. But that's the going rate these days and you would hope that McLeish still has money in the budget.

It's not quite true to say that, with Ferguson coming, McLeish has a brilliant tactical plan to inflict death by snail pace on the opposition via his midfield.

Lee Carsley, Damien Johnson, Lee Bowyer and Ferguson are hardly going to tear it up. Their athleticism isn't what it was obviously.

Yet they are all shrewd enough to know how to play in the top-flight and there are players in the Blues team who could be meshed around whatever formation McLeish chooses for whatever games so they don't just plod about.

And Ferguson, let's face it, is - to borrow a Tony Mowbray favourite - a manipulator of the ball, a player who can see a pass, which is so important in the Premier League. You wouldn't necessarily call Danny Murphy of Xabi Alonso speed merchants now, would you?

Ferguson's fitness levels, by all accounts, are very good and he is itching to make another go of it after the Blackburn Rovers experience.

I recall Ferguson scoring the opener in a 4-0 St Andrew's drubbing but a knee injury didn't help his case at Ewood Park.

Let's hope his second coming south of the border works out for all concerned.

Just two of Blues new signings were able to train on the first day back.

And both - Stephen Carr and Lee Bowyer - are 'new' in the loosest sense of the word after having been on loan for the climax of the Championship campaign.

Ecudaor duo Christian Benitez and Giovanny Espinoza were in their native country as work permit applications began to be processed.

Benitez would not have been able to train anyway because of a shoulder operation at the end of May and Espinoza was to be given time off as well because of his
international commitments in the South American World Cup qualifiers.

Scott Dann had a minor knee operation at the season's end and was doing his rehabilitation away from the main group.

And Roger Johnson continued his comeback from knee and hip surgery alongside Franck Queudrue - who had a hernia operation in May - under the guidance of assitant physiotherapist Pete Shaw.

Due to his England under-21 exploits, Joe Hart has been given an extended break. Likewise Sebastian Larsson, who figured for Sweden in their games and was severly troubled by a shoulder problem in the last few weeks of the season.

David Murphy (fractured kneecap) and Liam Ridgewell (broken leg) were in the Wast Hills gym yesterday on the mend from injuries sustained in April.

And Stuart Parnaby was kept away from the main body of players who underwent a series of running-based exercises and drills because of a virus.

It's finally been done then, the renegotiated transfer of Christian 'Chucho' Benitez.

Should Benitez last the duration of his contract, appearance and achievement targets are met, he will become the club's record $12.5 millon signing, or £7.75 million.

Due to the knee problem that was identified during his medical, Blues managed to persuade his club Santos Laguna to redraft the original agreement which was $10 million down, plus $5 million in add-ons.

Now Blues have to pay just $2 million, or about £1.2 million, for the first 12 months. At that point they can exercise a 'get out' option should Benitez have broken down due to his knee.

It's what's termed a 'protected purchase' in favour of Blues and, it has to be said, Benitez was willing to go along with various clauses as well in order to keep his Premier League dream alive.

Remember Emmanuel Olisadebe, the striker that never was?

In July 2002, following promotion to the Premier League, a £3.3 million fee was agreed with Panathinaikos for his transfer.

The Polish international flew into Birmingham and all looked set until he had a medical.

During the examination it was clear that Blues would be taking a big gamble if they proceeded.

The transfer was called off and Olisadebe then had a pop at Blues which in turn gave Steve Bruce the hump.

Bruce had tried to protect the player at first by talking around the reason why it had gone pear-shaped. But after Olisadebe's barbs, he slated him and revealed he not
only had a knee complaint, but a career-threatening back problem.

Fast forward to the present and Blues find themselves in another pickle concerning another signature striker identified to spearhead their return to the Premier
League: Christian Benitez.

A deal worth a potential and club record £9 million was agreed for the Ecuador ace. Yet it has not been plain sailing getting him on board.

His medical showed up a knee problem, something seriousness enough to stop Blues forging on with the transfer.

It came as a shock to them, as well as Benitez, his representatives and his club, Mexican outfit Santos Laguna.

None were aware of it previously and all parties have agreed that the deal needs to be redrafted.

Talks are taking place to find a satisfactory conclusion. There seems a willingness to compromise.

Benitez remains in the country and is desperate to join. From the Blues perspective, the manager and club are prepared to give him that chance.

Blues are hardly going to commit themselves to the vast outlay originally planned due to this change in circumstances, so it is likely a smaller downpayment will be made, and a 'get out' clause inserted into the new deal.

Blues haven't pulled the rug completely because Benitez's is rather an odd case.

In tests he has undergone - and there have been many - his knee has stood up fine.

He has played up to this point in his career without any pain or problems from it, and his condition has apparently been a long-standing one.

So if Blues can cover themselves, and lessen the financial risk, it makes sense to give Benitez a whirl.

Peter Ndlvou suffered the same fate when he was transferred from Coventry City in 1997. That £1.6 million deal was eventually done on a pay-as-you-play. He turned
out all right.

Olisadebe played on too, although he has hardly covered himself in glory in the days since he was on the verge of joining Blues. He is now plying his trade in China.

Others have defied what would be considered accepted medical opinion. Stern John, for example, has a chronic knee condition which should really have put paid to him at Blues.

Only time will tell whether Benitez turns out to be a hit, miss or maybe.

Down to Wast Hills today for a media gathering, Alex McLeish providing the up-dates.

Eck came back off his holiday at the end of last week and says he cannot wait to get onto the training pitches again.

He's delighted with the transfers completed so far - 'I think there's been some good business done' - and says there's more to come.

From what we could tell, he still had his own office; it hadn't been annexed by the board so they could bring in 'their' players as they see fit . . .

On that subject, McLeish continually made references to the support he has had from the directors, and he spoke as if he was happy to have Giovanny Espinoza.

Revelations that he hadn't been able to see either Espinoza or Christian Benitez 'in the flesh' raised an eyebrow or two. Then again, it's not that uncommon
nowadays, especially when time is of the essence and you have to nip in quick.

On the other side of the coin, the hunt for new defenders has been long and detailed. McLeish feels he has chosen correctly in Scott Dann and Roger Johnson.

He admits Blues have 'hedged their bets' during the past 18 months.

Midfield is the next area to concentrate on. Maybe two more are needed, as he believes Blues remain 'light' in that area.

One of those midfielders is Lee Bowyer. He has penned a contract, it's just a case of signing-off the fine details.

Gareth Bale's name was thrown into the mix. If he was available, I'd be interested, came the reply. Moreover, keep an eye on Armand Traore in the next few weeks.

While waiting for the audience with Eck, one or two familiar faces popped up around the corridors of the training HQ, even though Blues don't report back until July 8.

Rumours that Mathieu Flamini was in the building could not be substantiated, however.

Gary McSheffrey was there continuing to build up his fitness after the knee problem that wiped out his effectiveness last season.

And, peering out of a window, none other that Franck Queudrue could be spied coming down the steps from pitch level to the dressing rooms following a work out.

Spotting me, he said: 'See, I have made sure I am here a week early this year!'.

Is it me or is there a lot of head-nodding going on in relation to Blues recent actions, and a quiet feeling of optimism?

Six players have been signed, a deal for Lee Bowyer agreed, and there's promise of more to come by the board.

And there was the dabble for Patrick Vieira too.

When Blues announced their '10 point-pledge' the cynical among us had a field day. Yeah, right, heard it all before was the take.

But maybe it's not so wrong after all to at least give Blues the benefit of the doubt thus far.

St Andrew's is never going to be as palatial as most stadiums around the country yet Blues have been addressing certain aspects: the pitch and track surround, big
screen/scoreboard.

It would be nice to think they would just knock down the Main Stand and have done with it, but there you go.

Season ticket prices are inviting, especially when you see what's materialised in the restructuring of the squad, although sales remain under 10,000.

Blues have gone in early and done business. They have been decisive and don't seem to be heading for that late transfer window panic in the last week of August, which marked the last two Premier League preparations.

David Gold rang me this afternoon just for a general chat, during which he confirmed that the Vieira attempt was a long shot, with the tag that if you don't try you will
never know.

The chairman was interested to guage the reaction to the new players and he said he was enthused about the months ahead.

He won't take anything for granted, however, with those memories post-Blackburn Rovers popping up in his memory from time to time.

He said Blues still had plenty to do.

Gold yesterday issued a statement to the club website patting people on the back, not least his fellow key director David Sullivan.

And Sullivan, often considered the Big Bad Wolf of Theydon Bois, also seems reinvigorated. In our conversations, he has talked like a fan about players Blues
have got and the type they are still trying to get, and not banged on about money. Well, not too much anyway.

In fact, Sullivan and the Golds have both loaned Blues their own cash to help fund ground improvements and player purchases.

An announcement to the Stock Exchange on June 9 showed that Sullivan put in £1 million, matched by David Gold.

Then, today, it was revealed to the City that Sullivan has loaned another £1.5 million, David Gold £750,000 and Ralph Gold £750,000.

The loans are all payable by September 1, with an interest of 0.5 per cent per month. So they are going to get something back for their trouble.

Basically, the money was pumped in to tide Blues over until the Sky television windfall lands in the bank account in August. They didn't want to miss out on Christian Benitez, Scott Dann and Roger Johnson.

Without doubt, there does seem a fresh approach, a more engaged and harmonious attitude, which has been been picked up by people.

Maybe it was the ordeal of the Championship last season, maybe lessons of past Premier League relegations have been taken on board, maybe it's starting a top-flight season with a new manager.

This week, Sullivan made this remark: "It will probably be a tough season, but I hope everybody has some fun and enjoys themselves - that's the key for me."