McLeish looks to extend Blues contract

Posted Saturday, January 16, 2010 by PA

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish wants to extend his current contract and that of his backroom staff.

McLeish has 18 months left of his present deal which he signed when replacing Steve Bruce at St Andrew's just over two years ago. He is being touted as one of the contenders as Liverpool manager if Rafael Benitez should leave Anfield. But the former Scotland and Rangers boss is hoping there is scope to lengthen his time with the midlands club as he looks to establish them in the top flight on a long-term basis.

He said: "Should there be a contract review? Why not? My coaches deserve a review and we can all be accessible in terms of that. Yes."

He added: "I believe that the way we have built the team up so far gives us scope to go forward. We haven't jumped too far ahead of ourselves. We are building it up nicely.

"I've still got 18 months left on my contract, I'd like to think there is scope there for us to extend that. We are laying foundations here."

McLeish added: "I said it at the outset, and a few people were sceptical about those comments, that I want Birmingham City to be a fixture in the Premier League, not yo-yo up and down in it.

"We are not there yet, but if we can make that step, then it is there for us."

McLeish believes there is still room for improvement in terms of the overall structure he is trying to build at Birmingham.

He said: "We are still short in terms of the scouting. We have had support from Carson Yeung (new club owner) and the board in general.

"They have been great additions that were necessary but we need to keep moving forward. We are still short of physios, for example. We need to bring staff in within levels of budget that we can afford."