McLeish: We must avoid loss at Forest
As they sit in a lofty second place in the Championship, it is hardly time for panic at St Andrew's.
The former Rangers and Scotland manager was not able to keep Birmingham in the Premiership following his arrival almost a year ago, but he has overseen a steady start in the Championship.
Birmingham may have lost the last two matches on the bounce, but prior to that they produced their best ever start to a campaign to power to the top of the table. Even so, he admits the pressure to secure success remains relentless at St Andrews.
"If there is a string of bad results nobody is safe," he said.
"When people ask me what I do I say 'I am the Birmingham City manager just now'.
"You have to allow for how fickle football is and there is no room for complacency on my part or equally on the players' part."
Birmingham do not want to fall any further behind West Midlands rivals Wolves, if they can help it.
And, following reversals at the hands of QPR and Coventry, McLeish has warned his players that they can take nothing for granted at the City Ground today.
"We've had two consecutive 1-0 defeats but that doesn't mean to say that we will now automatically win our match at Nottingham Forest," said McLeish. "We've got to treat it with the seriousness of a team that wants to go back to the Premier League.
"We've simply got to go to Forest and get back on track in a winning sense. It's a test for the players, a character test to pick up a couple of decent results."
Birmingham's lack of goals in their last two outings is an unusual problem for a previously free-scoring side. But, since Garry O'Connor was sidelined with a groin injury, there is no question that their finishing power has become an issue. But McLeish believe that James McFadden, his fellow Scot, is finding his form, despite a run of one goal in his last 14 outings.
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