Defender Queudrue determined to bounce back for Birmingham

Franck Queudrue has informed Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish he is ready to fight for a first-team spot after the club's attempts to off-load him failed to find any takers.

The Frenchman was labelled 'rubbish' by co-owner David Sullivan towards the end of last season and the multi-millionaire's criticism sparked a war of words between the pair.

He has subsequently been handed a free transfer by the Blues but so far they have had no takers as the defender commands a £1million-a-year salary.

He still has two years remaining on his contract but has told McLeish he is willing to battle hard to regain a spot in the Scot's plans.

McLeish said: 'I've spoken to him. I want him to get back to the player he was at Middlesbrough. He is still only 29 so there's no reason why he can't.

'I've spoken to him privately, we are working hard with Franck to get him back to a level where he is competing to  get into the team.

'People assume he is on his bike and he is leaving. It's okay saying he can go on a free if he wants but he has two years of a contract left and no-one is going to walk away from that.

'I'm fine with that as long as Franck knuckles down and does the work I feel he needs to do to get back into the team, that's fine. To be fair, he has been very receptive to it.'

Queudrue added: 'Am I happy to see my contract out? Of course. I am dedicated to this club and I will give whatever I have got to put the maximum in on the pitch. I am not  someone who calculates.

'If a club comes and we have got an agreement I might leave. In the meantime, I'm 100 per cent Blues.

'I just want to play football. We have a good bunch of players and we have everything in our hands to go back up to the Premier League.'