Defender Eye's New Deal

Last updated : 07 March 2008 By Brian Cartlidge
The 32-year-old Tunisian international centre-back has a contract until June 2009 and Blues have an option on the final 12 months of his deal.

"I want to stay, of course. But that depends on the condition and the view of the club. It does not depend on me," he told the Birmingham Mail.

"Since I joined I have tried to show the club many things and I think I helped us last season, we wanted promotion straight away and we did it.

"This year, we also want something - to stay in the Premier League - and that's what I am focused on.

"I think next year we have the chance to be a very good team. If we stay up we will have learnt from what we went through and we will be more confident.

"If we do the continuation in our work and keep the good atmosphere in the dressing room, and we train hard with the manager and the coaches, then it will be promising for us.

"If we stay up, the manager will bring in some players for some positions and so will be even stronger next year, as well as having more know-how compared to this year.

"It is true, we don't have that many experienced players. Every team must be mixed, you must have some experience and some youth. Whether that helps me, I don't know.

"We have some young lads and they have good careers before them. But this is the first year in the Premier League for them.

"It has been hard, especially in the beginning, for them to run with this division a little.

"As one of the experienced players, I know I can help them and the club as well."