Birmingham City boss Lee Clark admits he hopes to hang onto West Ham United midfielder Ravel Morrison next season.

Morrison has a lot of baggage from his time at Manchester United, but Clark feels he's worth persevering with.

"People might think I'm crazy but I'd like to have another year trying to take Ravel to where he can go," stated Clark to the Birmingham Mail.

"That's because he has improved on lots of things, on and off the field. And we believe if we can get another year with him, we can continue that development.

"The thing for me is that he has shown the willing. I have said all along that there's no doubt about the talent. I think people are seeing that. There's an unbelievable footballer in there.

"It's tough for me, too, because when I sit down with him and try and talk and say 'listen, in terms of your football you can be the next Paul Gascoigne' and his response is 'who's Paul Gascoigne?' then it's a bit of an issue for me.

"So I am trying to think of the next one who he could be in comparison with. Paul and Ravel are what you would call absolute geniuses with the ball. I tell Ravel he can do anything he wants on a football field. He has got the pace of a winger, he has got fantastic balance, he has got courage.

"He could be stronger because sometimes he goes into tackles and gets smacked down on the floor. 'But that's one area there he needs educating on, it's not just about the football field, it's getting in the gym and making yourself physically strong.

"What we have got to do is have some sort of dialogue with West Ham to see if it is possible. No doubt there will be more than Birmingham City in for him. No doubt about it. But I have spoken to the lad and if something could happen he would be happy to stay here.

"You can't hide bad players and you can't hide good players. Simple as. There will be lots of clubs in for him but I know he has enjoyed his time here. It has been up and down, it has been rocky for us all. There hasn't been a day gone by when there's not been something regarding Ravel Morrison, whether it's good or bad.

"At times it has driven us potty, but when I see that ability I have seen the last few months come to fruition, when I see what he does on match day, and I see some of the things he does on the training ground, I think to myself 'well, he can be an asset to us'.

"He has been part of the upsurge in our change of results.".