'Let's not reach for the stars too soon,' says Birmingham City's Alex McLeish

Posted Monday, January 11, 2010 by theguardian.com

'Let's not reach for the stars too soon,' says Birmingham City's Alex McLeish
Alex McLeish, left, shakes hands with Sir Alex Ferguson, his former manager at Aberdeen, after the 1-1 draw between Birmingham City and Manchester United. Photograph: Getty Images

There can be no better barometer of Birmingham City's progress this season than the disappointment etched on the faces of Alex McLeish's players after the final whistle on Saturday. Not so long ago holding Manchester United would have been a reason to celebrate but times have changed at St Andrew's. This may have been a club-record 12th top-flight match without defeat but there was a nagging sense of regret that the landmark was not reached with a win.

United dominated an opening 45 minutes in which Birmingham, in the words of James McFadden, "were as bad as we have played all season", yet the goal that Cameron Jerome pilfered before the interval might easily have been added to during a much-improved second-half performance which saw Tomas Kuszcak produce three excellent saves and culminated in Sir Alex Ferguson admitting he was "grateful for the point".

"We feel quite disappointed not to have won it," said Sebastian Larsson. "We went in at half-time and, even though we were winning, we were fuming because we were shocking to be honest. We kept giving the ball away. We were nervous. That was the biggest disappointment. But we kept a clean sheet and nicked the goal so we were in the game. Then they've scored, but I think we had better chances than them in the second half so we're a little disappointed."

Desperate to manage expectation levels, McLeish will see things a little differently. The Birmingham manager's biggest fear at the moment is becoming a victim of his own success. Birmingham, he keeps trying to remind people, are still targeting Premier League survival. Yet glance at the table and last season's Championship runners-up sit in eighth place, behind Liverpool only on goal difference and just four points adrift of fourth-placed Spurs.

Forget survival. A few Birmingham supporters are daring to dream and wondering if they might need to take their passports to a couple of matches next season. "I'm hearing all this talk about Europe but it's absolute nonsense if people talk that way," said McLeish. "There is nothing wrong with having ambition — I'm as ambitious as they come. We're taking steps along the road but I think we've got to take them at a certain rate rather than reach for the stars too soon.

"I think there are seven clubs that there's no way anyone else will get near by the end of the season," continued McLeish, alluding to the established big four, plus Manchester City, Aston Villa and Spurs. "And there are probably five or six that we've no right to be above as well. And that's why it's important to keep the expectation levels at a level where everyone cannot get carried away. I think the top four will be threatened by others but not by us."

In truth, few would back Birmingham to finish in a Champions League spot but, by the same token, there is not a Premier League manager who will look forward to coming up against McLeish's side between now and the end of the season. "We're entitled not to fear anybody because of our performances," said the Birmingham manager. "The evidence is there and the players have now got that in their mentality."

That unwavering belief was apparent following United's equaliser, when the natural assumption was that Birmingham would spend the final 25 minutes hanging on for a point. Instead the Birmingham players responded as if affronted. "We have to do all we can to ensure we always finish a game the way we did against United," added McLeish. "It's about making the opposition feel that they've been in a hell of a game and we did that again against the champions."

With his former Aberdeen manager in the opposition dug-out, the outcome was particularly enjoyable for McLeish, who was late for his post-match press conference after sharing a glass or three of red wine with Ferguson. The two remain close and it was tempting to wonder whether Ferguson might put McLeish's name forward as a potential successor to him one day. "I think we'll stop that there," said McLeish before exiting with a smile.