Birmingham, McLeish open contract talks

Soccer Betting Lines

03/18/2010 - Birmingham, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish has confirmed talks have begun over a new contract with the Premier League club.

McLeish took charge at St Andrew's in November 2007 and led City to promotion back to the Premier League in his first full season in charge, having been unable to mastermind survival the previous term.

This season the Blues have confounded the critics by rising to eighth place in the table and ensuring top-flight survival in some style.

McLeish commented: "We have started negotiations regarding a new contract. I have met (owner) Carson Yeung and (vice chairman) Peter Pannu.

"They gave me some initial figures. I'll get my advisors now to meet with them and will let them thrash it out."

Meanwhile, McLeish is already planning moves into the summer transfer market to bolster his squad further, although he is wary of splashing too much cash.

He added: "We need to improve again and enhance the squad and there will be money to spend, but there has got to be prudence.

"I said during the January transfer window that I felt I had an obligation, a duty, to make sure that Birmingham go forward with a little bit of stability."

(Courtesy of sportbox.tv)

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