Sep 3 2010
by Colin Tattum
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MARTIN Jiranek rejected an 11th-hour approach from a top German side to sign for Blues.
And the Czech Republic defender confidently predicted that he knew what was expected from him at St Andrew’s and he would be a success in the Premier League.
There was a scramble for Jiranek’s services when it became clear that Spartak Moscow were prepared to let their captain go after stalwart service. His contract was due to expire in December and Jiranek and his agent fielded a whole host of calls from interested suitors.
The most tempting came virtually the moment he stepped off the plane at Birmingham International Airport to meet Blues for talks and a medical.
Schalke O4 offered him a much better financial package than Blues had proposed – but Jiranek had given his word to Alex McLeish and had his heart set on a new challenge in England.
“I had many offers,” Jiranek told the Birmingham Mail. “Three from teams in Spain, one from Germany, one from Russia but it was my dream to test myself in the Premier League – which is probably the best league in the world.
“I knew Birmingham finished ninth in the league last season, which is a great result. I was quite happy to join that kind of team.
“It’s a new challenge for me. In Russia I was there seven years as captain of Spartak Moscow and played in the Champions League and UEFA Cup and Russian League, so every part of the grass was already well known. New motivation was needed.”
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