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LONDON (AFP) – city manager Alex McLeish hailed the "best ever" intend of his occupation after the Blues stunned Arsenal 2-1 to intend the club's prototypal trophy in 48 years.

McLeish, who won heptad trophies during his speech as manager of English giants Ranger, said guiding city to the League Cup trumped everything he had achieved northerly of the border.

"At Rangers I was due to intend trophies, but to become to England, my prototypal trophy attempt, and to intend against the might of Arsenal is a imagine become genuine for everybody adjoining to the club," McLeish said.

"Nobody gave us a request -- we were large underdogs. But sometimes the bookies don't intend it correct and we proved that today with extraordinary belief, extraordinary courage and whatever beatific football," he added.

Birmingham's conclusion via a last-minute Obafemi Martins goal guarantees the Midlands edifice a locate in dweller sport incoming season.

"I'd irrecoverable about that," McLeish said when reminded that he would be leading city into Europe.

"To go to into aggregation is not without its problems in terms of having a unit strong sufficiency to deal with that, but we're proud to be competing in Europe.

"We meet hit to amend the unit further. But we've also got the little concern of making trusty we keep Premier League status first."

McLeish has been fearless for Birmingham's Hong Kong-based someone environmentalist Yeung to finances a incursion into the transfer market.

However he was bright that he was able to hit the League Cup to Yeung, who was watching from the stands at Wembley on his 51st birthday.

"I'm rattling pleased for Carson," McLeish said. "It's a strange date present for him. He must conceive it's easy existence someone of a sport club.

"Ninth position terminal year and today a Cup. But he knows we've got whatever battles ahead, which are equally essential if not more important."

McLeish revealed that city had not modify made plans for a conclusion celebration on Sunday, ownership the champagne on cover until after incoming weekend's Premier League showdown with West Bromwich Albion.

"We distant incoming weekend for whatever celebrations," McLeish said. "But we've got West Brom so I hope it's not a case of after the nobleman Mayors exhibit because the West Brom game is vital for us. That's added prize final.

McLeish meantime said city had struggled to reassert their composure after a sensational officicating nonachievement in the ordinal time of Sunday's test that could hit been costly to his team.

Birmingham should hit been awarded a penalty and seen Arsenal reduced to 10 men after netkeeper Wojciech Szczesny hauled down Lee Bowyer in the box exclusive for endeavor to be titled back for offside. Replays showed that Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna was activity Bowyer yard onside.

"We thought that it was something the officials shouldn't hit missed," McLeish said. "They didn't intend it right. We every threw a strop and we threatened to retrograde our focus, the players and myself.

"But we concentrated the aggroup at half-time and said we must keep our composure, and place soured the moaning at the officials because it had happened, it was past."

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