Alex McLeish says his players have exceeded his expectations this season

Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish says his team have achieved more than he could possibly have imagined in their first season back in the top flight.

Blues remain in the top half of the Premier League thanks to their 15-game unbeaten run from October to January.

And McLeish told BBC WM: "I could never have believed they could do that in my wildest dreams.

"But the evidence is there. They should realise they've got that in their locker to do it again."

McLeish says some of his new players, especially those like Scott Dann and Roger Johnson who have come up from the division below, have shown remarkable qualities.

"The plaudits the players have received this season, they should build on," he said. "It's about consistency. I said to them in the early part of the season it's not about playing two or three good games.

"That's invariably what happens when you pluck a player from a small club to come to a big club.

"It's really too much for them sometimes mentally and physically to play more than three or four good games until they adjust to playing for a big club.

It's more like a Zeppelin that's been burst rather than a bubble Alex McLeish mocks those who claim Blues' 'bubble has burst' after two League defeats

"But, for our lads, to go that 15 games, was absolutely phenomenal."

However, McLeish believes his team have even more to offer.

"That's the challenge to them every single week. I believe they're even better than they think they are.

"It's up to every individual to try and improve and to get himself to another level, and never think they're the finished article. Prove themselves every single week."

After Blues' defeat at Fulham, their second successive League loss, McLeish expressed concern that expectations in some quarters - within the club as well as outside it - had risen unrealistically high, with some expecting a push to qualify for Europe.

And he feels that the players' achievements have sometimes been underestimated.

"I suppose there's a sense of that as well," he said. "I certainly feel that talk of bubbles bursting, honeymoon's over, for me those kinds of comments are ludicrous.

"To go the 15 games, it's more like a Zeppelin that's been burst rather than a bubble.

"I think that it's unfair to put that pressure on the players, and there's no real evidence that we should be getting a European place.

"The guys that get to Europe and win the leagues, have players in the team that are scoring 16 or 17 goals, and the second one behind them's on about 12.

"It would be well-nigh impossible for us to get into Europe unless our strikers go on a hot streak.

"They shouldn't ever rest on their laurels and be complacent, and think 'OK, we've done the job, tools down, let's relax.'"

Despite his worry that expectations among some of the directors might have got a little out of hand, McLeish thinks the board see the club's expected future progress the same way he does.

"I've obviously had to to make sure we don't go in too giant steps rather than the little steps in terms of budgets," he added. "Especially when you see the plight of somebody like Portsmouth.

"That has made everybody associated with clubs sit up and take notice.

"They've agreed to follow the plans that I have for the club. They'll certainly have their input as well and we'll work together. Nobody's demanding anything from either party."

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