Skip to content

McLeish demands more

Image: McLeish: Eyeing improvements

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish believes he needs to improve the confidence of Cameron Jerome.

Birmingham boss keen to improve confidence of Jerome

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish believes he needs to improve the confidence of Cameron Jerome if the striker is to help the Blues escape a Premier League relegation battle. Jerome has hit five goals this season, but they have all come away from home and McLeish believes that is a statistic which needs improving. The Birmingham boss has spoken of the need to turn St Andrews into a fortress as the Blues, who currently sit four points clear of the bottom three, bid to move away from the drop zone. And McLeish feels that Jerome needs to use the training ground to work on the attributes which will be required to break down visitors to the Midlands.

Influence

"We are working on his ability to hold up the ball after using his pace," said McLeish. "He is only 21, and there is a lot of improvement yet to come. "We have got to impress upon him that he can do this job. But we do not want to work too much on things that maybe he has not got. We have to encourage what he is good at." Meanwhile, McLeish has praised the influence of Franck Queudrue after the defender came off the bench to play a key role in the Boxing Day victory over Middlesbrough. The former Boro and Fulham defender made his first start in nine games and McLeish hopes the Frenchman can continue his renewed form into the New Year.
Sharp
"I have got to compliment Franck. He has come in from the cold almost," added McLeish "Franck was never really out of the equation - but when I spoke to him a few weeks ago I felt that he needed a wee bit more sharpness and mobility fitness-wise. "He has worked on that with the fitness coach over the last couple of weeks, and it has really fallen into place for him."

Around Sky