Sad Eck still on a downer

Aug 3 2008

ALEX McLEISH reckons he would still be a Premiership manager if the Birmingham board had pinned down his signing targets in January.

The Blues boss faces the harsh reality of football in the Championship next week when his side take on Sheffield United in their opening game .

Big Eck arrived in the Midlands last November with the club in turmoil after a failed takeover bid.

City lost out in their relegation fight by just one point.

And the former Scotland gaffer insists they would have stayed up if they got fresh recruitments.

He said: "All credit to the board for trying to help but changes were necessary and we never got the players we wanted in January.

"If we had signed our targets we would have got the point we needed. But it doesn't mean we are failures."