Birmingham City have dismissed reports that the board interfered in the transfer policy of Alex McLeish.
Board adamant McLeish only signed players he wanted at St Andrew's
Birmingham City have dismissed reports that the board interfered in the transfer policy of former manager Alex McLeish.
Reports have suggested that disputes regarding transfer targets were a factor in McLeish's recent decision to quit as Birmingham boss before taking over at arch rivals Aston Villa.
However, the Championship club have moved to reject such rumours by revealing McLeish did not want to sign players put forward by the board, such as Ryan Babel, Peter Odemwingie and Jermaine Pennant.
Blues are involved in a legal dispute over McLeish's exit and subsequent arrival at Villa, while the Scot has claimed he did not have a free hand in transfer dealings and that the dismissal of the club's chief scout Paul Montgomery contributed to his decision to resign.
Disturbed
The statement from Birmingham today read: "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.
"Players such as (Fulham forward Moussa) Dembele chose not to come and (Wigan winger Charles) N'Zogbia due to his sudden demand for a last-minute increase in wages.
"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."
