The Birmingham boss takes his new side to rivals Aston Villa on Sunday.
New Blues boss Harry Redknapp
Alex McLeish believes Birmingham City will want to tie down Harry Redknapp immediately if the veteran boss gets off to a winning start at Aston Villa on Sunday.
Redknapp has taken the reins just hours after Gianfranco Zola’s resignation, which followed Monday’s 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Championship relegation rivals Burton Albion.
Birmingham were in seventh place and only three points off third when previous boss Gary Rowett was sacked in favour of Zola last December.
However, a run of just two wins in 22 league games has left the St Andrew’s outfit two places and three points above the relegation zone, leaving Redknapp three games in which to preserve his new side’s second-tier status.
“I am sure that he will keep them up,” McLeish, who managed Birmingham to League Cup success at the start of the decade, told BBC Sport. “He will keep it real and stir them up for the last three games.”
Former Birmingham and Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish
The Scot, who controversially quit the Blues to join city rivals Aston Villa, said of Sunday’s trip to Villa Park. “He couldn’t get a tougher one to choose.
“So it is another big game this weekend coming up and if Harry can win that one, the Birmingham fans will be looking to get him tied down immediately.”
Villa, who are managed by Birmingham’s two-time promotion-winning boss Steve Bruce, sit 12th in the Championship having lost back-to-back matches.
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