Palacios too much of a risk

McLeish not willing to gamble on midfielder

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 10th January 2008

Wilson Palacios

Palacios: Not played enough

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Alex McLeish has explained that he could not justify the outlay required to keep Wilson Palacios at Birmingham.

The Honduran midfielder's problems off the field restricted him to just eight appearances for the Blues this season and McLeish felt that was not enough to make a sound judgement on his ability.

Palacios would have cost the club £1million if he were to have moved to St Andrews on a permanent basis and that is money which the former Scotland boss feels he could use more wisely elsewhere.

As a result, the midfielder now looks set to team up with Steve Bruce at Wigan. It was Bruce who brought him into English football during the summer and subject to a medical and international clearance he is expected to complete a move to the JJB in the next few days.

Another player which McLeish knew little about was Neil Kilkenny who was allowed to join Leeds during the week. The Birmingham boss admitted to hearing the midfielder was a good player, but could not guarantee him many opportunities if he was successful in his current hunt for players.

"Palacios, I don't know much about him," the Blues boss told the Birmingham Mail.

"He looked a half-decent player but I didn't want anything I might have done with him to impact on what I want to do elsewhere.

"So I had to make a swift, decisive decision.

"On Kilkenny, in terms of hearsay and homework, I know he's a good young talent and good with the ball and that.

"And I want my players here to have ability on the ball, no doubt about it. But, again, with the people I am determined to bring in, he would have been down the pecking order.

"I don't think that would have been good for him because it would have hindered his progress as a footballer, and neither would it have been good for us."