Alex McLeish has poured scorn on rumours that he will leave the club at the end of the season as Birmingham battle to rescue their Premiership survival chances. McLeish will stay even if the club find themselves in the Championship.

McLeish only joined Birmingham from Scotland this season, but despite a good start the club find themselves in dire straits.

McLeish said: "When I came, the short-term goal, the outcome for me, was for us to be in the Premier League at the end of the season. And I want to be a Premier League manager with this club.

"But there has also got to be a long-term vision as well. Until I am able to build a team myself, I would like to be judged then and that cannot happen overnight.

"I have been here five months, I have brought three players in. I think they have enhanced the squad.

"Of course we are not in the position I, nor anybody else, would have liked us to be in.

"But we still have a chance on Sunday, nothing has been settled and you have to believe.

"If you do get knocked down, then it's about how you get back up.

"I've said before that I want to make Birmingham a bona-fide Premier League team, not a yo-yo club going between the divisions all the time.

"I came here for the long term and nothing will change that."