McLeish - We're not safe yet

Boss wary of freefall ahead of derby clash at St Andrews

Last updated: 6th February 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

McLeish - We're not safe yet

McLeish: Not counting his chickens

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Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is refusing to accept his side will have avoided relegation with a win in Sunday's derby against Wolves.

The Blues are at home and three points would put them on a total of 37 points, a win shy of the coveted 40 mark which so often guarantees safety in the Premier League.

With 15 fixtures remaining, Birmingham are thought to be well equipped to comfortably avoid safety, but McLeish is refusing to accept that their job for the season is done.

Under Glenn Roeder, West Ham were the last side to be relegated with more than 40 points, and just last season Hull City narrowly avoided relegation after a free-fall in the second half of the season saw them end up with 35 points.

"I don't think you can stop and say 37 is fine," said McLeish. "You've got to remember Glenn Roeder at West Ham went down with 42.

"They say 40 is the magical cut-off point. You would say with the way things are at the moment we would be safe, no danger but I don't think we can afford to look too far ahead.

He added: "Sunday is another three points closer to where we want to be."

Bounce back

Birmingham bounced back from their first defeat in 15 games at the hands of Chelsea by earning a point against top-four hopefuls Tottenham last weekend.

While the Scot admits his players are aware of their healthy position in the league, he insists they will not get complacent.

He said: "I heard the players saying in the dressing room before the Spurs game, 'three points today and we're nearly there'. The players are aware of it but I'm positive they won't get complacent.

"That's not to say we won't have some hiccups between now and the end of the season. There's 45 points left to play for and we'd like to get as many as we can."

In contrast, city rivals Wolves are in dire need of three points on Sunday, and with the Blues having won at Molineux earlier in the season, suggestions that Mick McCarthy's side want the win more have been rife.

McLeish was quick to dismiss the notion, however, claiming his players will take the game as seriously as they do with any derby.

"Not if you're in my dressing room," he said. "Last week and this Sunday as well, if you're a fly in my dressing room you will see how much it means to these players.

"You can't dismiss any derby. You can't say it's not the same as the Villa one, every derby is important.

"We're at home against Wolves. There's local bragging rights, they are our neighbours and we want to win it. And they want to win it as well.

"I hope we believe home advantage will give us the edge."