David Murphy

Alex McLeish has said that he will consider letting David Murphy go out on loan to get his match fitness back.

Full-back Murphy has not played since last April after fracturing his knee cap in the Championship clash against Watford at the end of last season.

But with competition for places in the Blues starting XI so strong, the Blues boss feels the defender could do well to get first team games under his belt elsewhere.

"We could be doing with Dave Murphy going out on loan and playing some games now," McLeish told the Birmingham Mail.

"There's a wee bit of interest in the Championship and he would be happy to go and get some action.

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Teemu Tainio

We've got some pretty good cover at the left-back position just now with Gregory Vignal - and Franck Queudrue can also slot in there.

"We don't know what kind of level Dave's at because he's not played for so long.

"But we know his quality and when he's 100 per cent fit he's a very good player."

Another player back from injury is on loan Sunderland man Teemu Tainio, who hopes to build-up his match fitness for the reserves in the coming weeks. 

McLeish continued: "I've said to Teemu that I can't get him in (the match day squad) at the moment, which he understands.

"And he said it's frustrating that there's no games he can play in.

"A lot of the guys don't like bounce (practice) games, but these boys are real solid professionals and they are asking me for such games so they can get a run and get their fitness and sharpness up."