ALEX McLEISH is desperate to stamp his own Tartan tattoo on the Premier League — thanks to a chat with Alex Ferguson. Birmingham’s new boss quit as Scotland coach after a heart-to-heart with the Manchester United chief. Fergie reckoned St Andrew’s would be right up McLeish’s street after his stint with the national team and Rangers. McLeish, nicknamed Big Eck, has been given three-and-a-half years to take Brum from Premier League strugglers to top-eight contenders. And he admitted: “I spoke to Sir Alex about taking this job. He was definitely positive about this move.
“I know him from my early Aberdeen days. I knew how hard he worked and I think that kind of rubs off on you. “You hear people telling him to retire and he has still got an absolute desire to carry on. “There is probably a desire to prove yourself out of Scotland as well — the old chip on the shoulder that we Scots have.” McLeish, who had four-and-a-half years at Ibrox, came within a whisker of taking Scotland to Euro 2008.
But when Brum came calling and indicated they were willing to treble Eck’s £400,000 pay packet, it was no contest. The Scot inherits a squad from Steve Bruce which is one point above the drop zone after a miserable run of one win in eight league games. But McLeish, 48, is bullish when it comes to talking up the chances of survival.
McLeish is Brum’s fourth manager in 15 years and chairman David Gold believes that he has found a gem. Gold said: “You can see how relaxed, measured and confident Alex is.” McLeish replaces Bruce, who left St Andrew’s for Wigan because of uncertainty about the club’s future.
There is still a £50million takeover in the offing, although no one at Brum believes Carson Yeung will complete it. Tomorrow is D-Day for the Hong Kong businessman to get his documentation together or he will miss the December 21 deadline set by co-owner David Sullivan. Gold hopes to stay on as chairman whatever happens and that was enough to persuade McLeish to sign without an escape clause.