Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has been promised up to £40m to spend on players in the January transfer window by the club’s new owner Carson Yeung.

The Hong Kong billionaire made the announcement at his first media conference at St Andrew’s since completing his £81.5m takeover.”My first plan is to support the club for about £20-£40m for players and wages in January,” said Yeung.”I want to make Birmingham City as big as possible and will support Alex.”And McLeish earlier insisted he will have the final say on those transfer targets.“Will I have the final decision on team selection and transfer targets? Yes, it will be down to me,” said the Scot.”That is the normal remit of a manager and we will be working that way.”

On Tuesday, Yu made clear that McLeish’s position is safe but suggested that the manager would need an “open mind” under the new regime.McLeish says he is happy to take the advice of both of Yu and McManaman at St Andrew’s.”I’ll take all the advice I get,” said McLeish.”If there are players Sammy suggests, or people like Steve McManaman come up with names, and I think they will enhance the club, then fine, absolutely.”I will see what Steve has to offer. I don’t know how much he has kept in touch with his Spanish contacts because that is a good market.”I think Steve is a fine bloke who has a lot of experience so why not use it? There might be 99% of the time when I say ‘I don’t fancy it’ but that 1% might make the difference.”McLeish has also welcomed the news that he will be able to add to his squad in the January transfer window.

We will not go down the road of paying silly money. It is the road to ruin and I’d be uncomfortable paying it in the first place Alex McLeis

However, the Scot insists because of the new investment in the club, Birmingham will not be held to ransom when it comes to signing new players.”The news that we have money to spend is welcome,” he added.”We need to strengthen and the fragility of the squad has been very evident this season.”People that spend that sort of money on a football club mean business. They will know themselves that this club needs investment.”We have certain targets and if we can keep it private them we can get the players we want.”But we will not go down the road of paying silly money. It is the road to ruin and I’d be uncomfortable paying it in the first place.”

(BBC Sport )

Stokes joined Hibernian from Sunderland in the summer

Anthony Stokes says players would be less likely to be attracted to the Scottish Premier League if Celtic and Rangers left for England or elsewhere.

The Hibs striker was joined by manager John Hughes and Hearts boss Csaba Laszlo in saying it would be bad for Scottish football.”They are the teams that everybody strives to beat and play against,” said the striker who joined from Sunderland.”I think that’s a massive ambition for anybody who comes up to Scotland.”Stokes this summer began his second spell in the SPL having spent time on loan with Falkirk from Arsenal.Once more, the Old Firm are talking up the possibility of joining the Premier League in England, or a North Atlantic League with clubs from Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal.“I don’t think it would be good for Scottish football,” said Stokes. “That’s the main reason they should not go.

To run away from the problem is not the best solution Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo

“You have to look at the big picture outside of Hibs. It might be good for us in the long run, and for Hearts, but I think it would take a lot of the atmosphere out of Scottish football.”Kilmarnock striker Danny Invincibile was of a similar opinion.

“When I first came to England 10 years ago, coming from Australia and hearing about Scotland, the two main teams were Celtic and Rangers and whether people like it or not in Scotland, that is the reality,” he said.”That’s the way it’s been for the last 10 or 15 years, so if they leave, then it would be very detrimental.”And, if they go to the Premier League and get demoted, then what happens?”You would have Scotland’s two biggest clubs playing in the Championship and the SPL could become more competitive.”Financially, for both clubs, it would be huge – but, in terms of Scottish football in general, it could end up being devastating.“Killie manager Jefferies wants Celtic and Rangers to remain in Scottish football.”I like going there and playing against them, but I can understand why they want to go,” he said.”The only good side for us is that we would have a far more competitive league, which should open things up even more.”The only trouble would be – could we produce enough to keep the profile up in terms of sponsorship and television deals to keep these clubs going? But that would be the challenge.”Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo urged the Old Firm to concentrate on making the SPL stronger.”To run away from the problem is not the best solution,” he said.Hibs manager John Hughes thought it would be detrimental to Scottish football in the long run.”I can understand why they want to go for the revenue and television money,” he said.”I think, initially, everybody would rise to it and think they would have a chance of winning the SPL, but after a few years I think it would dip again.”And why just the Old Firm going to England? Why not Hibs and Hearts?”We’re a big club as well, Hibernian. We would fancy our chances of winning the SPL, but we would fancy our chances of competing with the big boys in England too.”

(BBC Sport )