Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish is heading to South Africa - but admits he's unlikely to sign players off World Cup form.

Big Eck has already got business well under way with the additions of Ben Foster, Nikola Zigic and Enric Valles.

"The summer's a bit of a busman's holiday," McLeish admitted to the Birmingham Mail. "Champions League final, then the World Cup for a few days.

"But I will keep the Blackberry on, I will be in touch with the club. And I have simply got to do business to make the team better."

"I think the World Cup is difficult to pick players," added McLeish, who also has family in South Africa he can catch up on.

"Arsene Wenger, I remember him saying that a few years ago, which stuck with me.

"And it is difficult because players can peak for four or five games and I have seen clubs signing them, and then they become failures.

"It's not ideal unless you are picking the very top players."