I’ve blogged quite a bit about the impending transfer window – you can see previous posts here and here for a start. So why am I going to write about it again? Is there a new angle I can look at it from, or new information to take on board? Not really. I’ll be honest, this is a plea to the owners of Birmingham City to open the purse strings and strengthen our squad.

I’m a positive kind of person, football wise. I’ve tried to keep the faith that our owners know what they’re doing, and that they have a plan to ensure that Birmingham City stays in the Premier League and can continue to push on. It’s been difficult recently to hold on to such an optimistic viewpoint though, with scare stories like this one from the Guardian about how the club has no money to spend in the window. Colin Tattum wrote this piece in today’s Birmingham Mail where he sets a realistic but not panic stricken tone that maybe some money is there, but not as much as some would like.

The questions have come out of the woodwork on the forums – where has the £9.5mil earmarked for Charles N’Zogbia gone as it wasn’t spent in the summer window – with an undercurrent of scepticism from some quarters that the board have any funds to spend then or now. Whilst many weren’t impressed with the pronouncement of a £40mil war chest when the board first took over the club, just as many aren’t happy with the board keeping their hand hidden. Essentially, the board are in a bit of a no-win situation at the moment as until they show their hand, people will project their paranoia and worries onto the club along with the fear of the attendant slide into the relegation places and maybe out of the Premier League altogether.

So here it is – my plea to the board. It’s not about the amount of money to be spent in the window, it’s about spending the money. There are no excuses that will wash this time – we must strengthen the squad. The dice must be rolled, we must make an effort. I know that McLeish is a cautious bloke, who doesn’t want to make a costly mistake but signing no one at all could be the costliest mistake of all. It’s easy for me to say this, as it’s not my money – but we must bite the bullet and bring in at least a couple of players who will improve the squad. We need players who should come into the team and offer us another option, another outlet and another plan. We can’t afford to be principled about wages, or attitude – we simply must sign at least a couple of good players or we’re going to struggle, big time.

McLeish is paid very handsomely for the job he has; and so far I think he’s done really well. I like him a lot – he doesn’t offer cop out excuses, he obviously cares about the club and he seems to want to build it all the way up – infrastructure and all. I appreciate that he’s got a tricky month to sort out signings etc but this is why he’s handsomely paid. It’s time for the club to show some ambition with a couple of signings to take us to the next level. If we sign what should be good players and it doesn’t work out, then so be it. Trying and failing is infinitely better than not trying at all, and I suspect for the fans at least it will be acceptable if an effort has been made. Hopefully come February 1st, we’ll all be wondering what the hell we were worried about. Until then, all we can do is hope.

Tags: Alex McLeish, Transfers