Angry Birmingham City respond to Alex McLeish transfer reports

Alex McLeish – Birmingham City (PA)

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Birmingham City have responded to claims they interfered with former manager Alex McLeish’s transfer decisions by insisting they are “disturbed and very concerned” to hear of such reports.

The Scot recently left Birmingham in acrimonious fashion, to join city rivals Aston Villa, pointing to the departure of chief scout Paul Montgomery and problems in the transfer market as key reasons behind his departure.

However, the club have now responded angrily, particularly to the way the saga has been reported in the media, and revealed the board was willing to sanction moves for players such as Ryan Babel, Peter Odemwingie and Jermaine Pennant, which failed to go ahead because McLeish did not want the players.

The statement reads: “The club is disturbed and very concerned with the recent reporting by selective, and we believe agenda-led, reporters suggesting that the Birmingham City board had interfered with the previous manager in the transfer market. That is factually incorrect and the club did, on June 14, 2011, release a statement stating our position.

“It is reiterated very strongly that there is a robust system in place whereby only players with the written authorisation of the manager had ever arrived at the club under the previous manager and will still be the case going forward.

“Players recommended by the board, such as, Babel, Odemwingie, Pennant and a Chinese player, for commercial reasons, didn’t arrive as no approval was forthcoming from the manager.”

The statement also reveals that Moussa Dembele, Charles N’Zogbia and Bobby Zamora also came close to becoming Birmingham City players and explains why their proposed transfers fell through.

“Players such as Fulham forward Moussa Dembele chose not to come and Charles N’Zogbia due to his sudden demand for a last-minute increase in wages,” it continues.

“In the case of Bobby Zamora, it was felt there had been quite a few injuries and anyway he signed a massive new contract at Fulham due to our approach.

“As the legal dispute is ongoing, it is appropriate that this myth of interference is put to rest once and for all.”