Adams discussions

Alex McLeish has held talks with Birmingham City striker Che Adams over a Scotland call-up.

Leicester-born Adams, 22, has a Scottish grandparent and has been on former Blues boss McLeish’s radar for some time.

The striker has found his feet in the Championship under Garry Monk this season and already has 19 goals to his name.

Seven of those strikes have come in his last six matches which has prompted McLeish to approach Adams in order to win his international allegiances.

Scotland have fixtures against Kazakhstan and San Marino next month.

McLeish told BBC Sport: "We're a small nation, we have to not leave any stone unturned and Che has been in good form," McLeish said.

"We've looked at Che and we've looked at a lot of potentials who haven't been in recent squads.

"At the moment he wants to keep himself playing at club level. He's having a good season, we've charted his progress. So we'll keep that one open."

He added: "We'll leave it up to him just now and we'll keep monitoring the situation," said McLeish. "It was amicable discussions with him and his representatives.

"I never spoke to Che personally but we've noticed the form that he's been in and we think we can enhance his career. It would be up to him now in the next few months or so."

Read more here.

Dean's big admission

Harlee Dean views the mind-boggling speed in which things change in football with the wisdom of a man far beyond his 27-years.

“I am probably older in my head than I am age wise - and I think I have been like that since I was a kid,” the popular Birmingham City defender says.

It is a useful quality to possess, not just in an industry where foundations can turn to sand in instant but at a club where the only constant is change.

Indeed Dean’s Blues career fits neatly into the narrative of his journey through football, which saw him turn his back on education and a path to university in favour of a ‘second chance’ at Dagenham & Redbridge and skivvying at the local golf club.

“I did silver service, which meant cleaning 500,000 spoons, forks and knives in vinegar water to make sure they had no specks on them. Those were the days.”

Birmingham City's Harlee Dean scores

Dagenham farmed him out on loan to Redbridge, Bishop’s Stortford, Braintree Town and in 2009 the relative big time in the Conference with Grays Athletic.

The lessons were hard and lasting, the scarring of some still exist today.

“It was needed, it taught me the difference between winning and losing,” Dean says.

Read more here of the revealing interview here - including Dean admitting he 'broke down in tears' after a Blues game.

Back at it

Martin O’Connor is moving back to Walsall to help save their season.

The struggling League One club have lost their last five games and are now nervously looking over their shoulder at the drop zone.

After the 3-0 defeat at the weekend, boss Dean Keates admitted that he was ready to shake up the system in a bid to improve.

And reports are now suggesting that O’Connor will link up with the club for the remainder of the season to assist.

The former Blues captain - who had two spells at Walsall as a player - will move in as a first-team coach, initially until the end of the season.

Read more here.

Zola linked with Chelsea manager's job

Chelsea will consider sacking Maurizio Sarri if they lose the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, according to reports.

Zinedine Zidane and Frank Lampard are said to be the top managerial targets if another Blues boss bites the dust.

Ex- Birmingham City coach Gianfranco Zola, currently Sarri’s assistant, could also step up to temporarily take over and is the favourite with the bookies to be appointed as the next boss.

Read more here.