BIRMINGHAM City manager Alex McLeish has confirmed he intends to extend midfielder Nigel Quashie’s loan by a month.
McLeish is drawing up plans to boost his midfield ranks after admitting that has made an inquiry about St Patrick’s Athletic talisman Keith Fahey.
Quashie, whose short-term loan expires at midnight tomorrow, is clearly unwanted by employers West Ham and the former Scotland international has been attempting to prove himself to McLeish over the last month.
The one-time West Bromwich Albion player has already expressed his desire to stay at St Andrew’s permanently and McLeish has indicated he will throw him another short-term lifeline, subject to West Ham’s agreement.
“We are renewing that (Quashie’s loan deal) so we will be looking to get that tied up,” admitted the Birmingham manager. “We’ll be looking at another month again to take it as it comes and get Nigel to a level to make a good contribution, he did that last weekend (against Charlton Athletic) apart from his sending-off.”
One name linked with a move to Birmingham since the middle of August has been that of Irish midfielder Fahey.
Talk of a formal bid totalling £450,000 has been played down by both McLeish and St Patrick’s chief executive Richie Sadlier. Yesterday, however, McLeish admitted that he had made contact with the eircom Premier Division side about the former Aston Villa trainee.
“We’ve made inquiries about Fahey now,” he said.
“There’s nothing I can tell you about offers but we’ve certainly taken it to an enquiry.
“At this stage I don’t like to say how optimistic or pessimistic I am. When I have got something to say, I’ll let you know.
“But we’ve certainly made an enquiry because he’s had a good season for St Pat’s and he looks a decent player. It came about through a contact.
“You have then got to evaluate whether it’s because he’s playing against players who are not at that higher level, is that why he’s looking so good? That’s why you have to try and do as much homework as possible.”
Meanwhile reports linking Chelsea teenager Scott Sinclair to St Andrew’s were laughed off by McLeish, who takes his Birmingham side to Swansea tonight grateful that it appears his mid-week international quartet are not suffering any ill-effects from their travels.
Northern Ireland captain Maik Taylor, rising Sweden star Sebastian Larsson, Scotland sensation James McFadden and skilful Ghananian Quincy Owusu-Abeyie are all fit enough to be in contention for tonight’s 7.45pm kick-off at the Liberty Stadium.
Left-back David Murphy is fit again but it looks highly unlikely that he will dethrone the in-form Franck Queudrue.
McLeish has nothing but respect for tonight’s Spanish-led Welsh opposition who were promoted from League One last season and have recently risen to seventh in the Championship table under the tutelage of Roberto Martinez.
“You can see Martinez’s identity on the team with the way he’s got them passing, Swansea have not let themselves down at all coming into this division.
“Instead of just consolidating they are trying to shoot for the moon and get themselves into a position for the play-off places. I’m sure they will aim for higher than that but they certainly haven’t looked fazed by the opposition and the players are a credit to their manager. He’s worked on their style of play and it has worked for them.
“We have to be mindful that going to places like Swansea, in terms of our aspirations for the Premier League, we’ve got to be looking to win.”
