McLeish on Kris Boyd and going back in for him

[Boab 73]

Alison McConnell

Published on 23 Mar 2010

Alex McLeish reckons the time is right for Old Firm pair Aiden McGeady and Kris Boyd to test themselves in the Barclays Premier League.

The Birmingham boss has made little secret of his ambitions to persuade both players to join him in the Midlands and believes McGeady and Boyd both have high hopes of proving themselves at the very top level – a platform which the Premiership can provide.

Boyd is out of contract at the end of the season and, despite being offered a new deal by Rangers, has yet to sign.

The striker came close to joining McLeish’s side in January 2009 in a £3.8m deal, but couldn’t agree personal terms with the Blues.

McLeish was also rebuffed twice in the last January window when he tried to land McGeady from Celtic, with the Republic of Ireland international believed to be priced in the £10m category by the Parkhead club.

“They are unproven in the Premier League so I guess Aiden and Kris would ask themselves whether or not they want to prove themselves here,” said Big Eck.

Rangers and Scotland forward Boyd has been criticised for his overall game, but McLeish believes the player would be just as prolific south of the border as he is in the SPL.

“I don’t see why not,” he said, when asked if he could score the same number of goals in the Premiership. He is a goalscorer. You would need to get the service to him. He thrives on the right kind of service.

“We will make an attempt to get him. I know he will have other suitors although, in the end, it will come down to finance. I would suspect Boyd would fancy a crack at the Premier League.”

Despite the fact that it appears inevitable Birmingham will approach Celtic with an offer for McGeady this summer, McLeish was cautious of saying too much.

“It is not right for me to talk about players who are still in contract,” he said. “I can talk about Kris Boyd because he is out of contract and we asked Rangers, through a courtesy measure, if we could speak to him, but it is not right that I speak about a Celtic player who is still there and has a contract. It can sometimes look like tapping up.”

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks-ignore/come-on-down-big-eck-s-premier-message-to-kris-boyd-and-aiden-mcgeady-1.1015414

[BlueSuedeSambas 54,498]

I think Boyd will leave

[Boab 73]

I think Boyd will leave

Looking more like it.

[kevpetrie87 0]

I think Boyd will leave

Sadly I agree

[johnny123 5]

McLeish was also rebuffed twice in the last January window when he tried to land McGeady from Celtic, with the Republic of Ireland international believed to be priced in the £10m category by the Parkhead club.

Sadly I fear Boyd may leave in the summer.

[Stu1993 101]

Agree too, but i realy hope he will stay. But if his hearts not in it then he should go

[stuvey 5]

Boyd to go and Laugh.erty to fill his position!

Not loooking good.

[Ferdasyn 431]

I know it's perfectly legal, but all this shite with McLeish harping on about Boyd annoys me, I wish he'd stop talking about it. So much for being a Rangers man when he's trying to take our best goalscorer from under our noses while there's nothing we can do about it.

[BillyBoyBJK 0]

the longer the supposed takeover is taking, the more I feel Boyd will leave to much uncertainty for him. Hopefully Walter Ally Kenny etc can be given new contracts and this may persuade Boydy to stay His goals this season prove how valuable he is to the club.

[Muff 245]

Good luck to Alex McLeish if he is thinking about signing both Aiden McGeady, and Kris Boyd - neither are good enough, and will struggle in the Premiership. Anyone who pay's the sort of money celtc want for McGeady, are off their heads.

All the Boyd talk re his contract, and whether he wil stay, or go is getting boring, it's dragging on too long. I've changed my opinion of Boyd in the last 5-6 months, but if he goes, then so be it... we move on.

If he leaves us in the summer, meaning we won't get a penny, then I'll be pretty dissappointed in him.

[Stu1993 101]

Good luck to Alex McLeish if he is thinking about signing both Aiden McGeady, and Kris Boyd - neither are good enough, and will struggle in the Premiership. Anyone who pay's the sort of money celtc want for McGeady, are off their heads.

All the Boyd talk re his contract, and whether he wil stay, or go is getting boring, it's dragging on too long. I've changed my opinion of Boyd in the last 5-6 months, but if he goes, then so be it... we move on.

If he leaves us in the summer, meaning we won't get a penny, then I'll be pretty dissappointed in him.

Agree Muff, if he leaves us without us getting money back on him then i will be disgusted by the big man, as one of his biggest fans i would hate to see him go but if his heart is not in it for Rangers then he shouldnt be here.

[Edin-Bear-ugh 1]

I think he is waiting on walter. But still think he'll go

[FlippinEck 3,748]

Boyd should go, we can then get someone better in (hopefully). In the long run, it would probably make Boyd a better player if he applies himself down south and can improve at the rate steven fletcher has, that will benefit Scotland but I would probably prefer it if that happened here

[Dietspam 733]

Boyd to go and Laugh.erty to fill his position!

Not loooking good.

Hate it when people do that. Same type of people who say Kenny Misser 30 mins before his header wins us the cup.

[Dietspam 733]

I think he is waiting on walter. But still think he'll go

So he's not waiting on Walter then?

[WilliamFyfe 1,438]

Fuck off Eck!

[sdunsmb 43]

I think Boyd will leave

I do too. Can't seem him being good for Brimingham but who knows? Why would he not want a crack at the Premier League as Eck said.

TBH I am sick to death of discussing the Boyd situation - the one plus side if he does leave is that the controversy will finally end.

[papaguy51 912]

There's not a chance in hell that a new owner would replace Smith, Boyd must know that.

I think he's away, but does he really owe us anything?

[WilliamFyfe 1,438]

Ferguson running about with Aids McGeady

Boyd having his mid table fight out instead of winning Cups

[sillybilly 151]

i've got the feeling boyd will sign a deal, maybe 2 year deal, but only boyd himself knows what he's thinking.

[FlippinEck 3,748]

i've got the feeling boyd will sign a deal, maybe 2 year deal, but only boyd himself knows what he's thinking.

2 years is better than nothing if it guarentees we get more cash for him!

[AGM_72 3,734]

Reminds me a lot of the Alonso situation, Liverpool actively tried to sell him, he wouldn't leave and then did after proving to be a vital piece of the team.

Of course there's a few differences, Alonso got Liverpool 30m for a start...

[ronniemca 479]

boyd must know he is far too slow to play in the epl he wouldnt get a kick aganst the players hed be up against , just look at what happens in european games and even the better ones in the spl . he knows he will sit on the bench or the stand most weeks , but i think the lure of 30,000 quid a week will see him go. see you in a couple of years kris

[Muff 245]

Kris Boyd would spend half the time sitting on the bench at Birmingham. Not a chance he would be a regular starter.

A cheap, goalscorer, who McLeish can bring on when they are needing a goal, or for playing in the lesser games. He'll be Kevin Phillips replacement.

[RFC55 110,241]

boyd must know he is far too slow to play in the epl he wouldnt get a kick aganst the players hed be up against , just look at what happens in european games and even the better ones in the spl . he knows he will sit on the bench or the stand most weeks , but i think the lure of 30,000 quid a week will see him go. see you in a couple of years kris

what a load of bullshit.

Anyway my thoughts on this as a massive Boyd fan, i will never forgive him if he dosent sign a new contract with us for a few reasons, last year he was offered the chance to go for £3m+ and rejected the chance to help Birmingham win the only trophy they would ever have a chance of winning(the championship). Why any REAL Rangers man would want to walk away for the lure of money only is beyond me, dont give me the shite about footballers careers being short. If he signs an extension at 18k per week, he will be earning nearly all on rm's yearly wage in 1 week and 3 days. Now if your looking at this monthly hel be on 72k p/w then add on bonuses like goals and win bonuses surely that would be close to 77k p/m. To me unless any of the top 8 or 9 teams in the world come then banging in the goals for the Rangers and winning trophys each year would beat your 30k p/w. All in all sign a deal and get Rangers the money if he wants to go. He gave killie a & of his signing on fee so he dosent seem a greedy bastard, just hope the lure of trying to break Coistys record proves enough