Here is Dale’s latest article. This time he looks at the transfer market.

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As the transfer Window enters its last week of trading, McLeish has bolstered the midfield with the Spanish flamboyancy and technical ability of Michel and the expected arrival of an English Gardner who will do anything but tend to the turf at St.Andrews! Gardener’s dogged midfield play and Michel’s farness bodes well for the rest of the season and for seasons to come. However, it is the golden purchase of a striker that still seems to evade McLeish.

It would be easy to panic buy a player who will cost the club a huge chunk of the transfer kitty, eat away to the wage bill and upset the spirit which has provided the platform for our recent 15 game unbeaten run. McLeish is opting for a more progressive approach to the club and is looking to build from the bottom up, bringing in 3 or 4 quality additions that fit into the criteria he is looking for. To make a big money signing, upset the players who are on a lower salary and ultimately do nothing more than add to an already established footballer’s ego would be nothing short of irresponsible.

McLeish’s is one of wisdom and care. Having pockets full of money doesn’t warrant an excuse to be careless with it. And he isn’t. As a fan, the transfer window, with all its faults of inflating prices and limited availability and time, provides a month of excitement. Frequently flicking through the back pages of tabloid papers to see the latest speculation the club has been involved in is what the window is all about. However, I would urge fans to be patient, we all know we need a striker and McLeish is not exempt from that knowledge.

Spending sprees will only breed big debt; we have seen it with clubs recently as the escapade at Fratton Park continues to spiral into the financial red of the coca cola championship! Many say Harry Redknapp is to blame and we must take note of such situations. Blues are currently in an advantageous position financially and are in what is seemingly looking like the safe hands of Alex McLeish. Blowing big bucks is not what we need.

The next week will arguably be the most active and I have no doubt we are yet to play a part in the pantomime of the January transfer window. I for one am happy to have a man at the helm of a football team whose responsibility takes precedence over the temptation of a blank cheque. Patience and responsibility seem somewhat a rarity in a business where success is demanded instantly but as I’m sure Carson Yeung would vouch for, the very apt and relevant Chinese proverb:

One moment of patience may ward off great disaster; one moment of impatience may ruin a whole life.
Dale Moon