Everyone says Robbie Savage is annoying but I bet his team-mates think he’s great. He runs around so much that if the wind got up he would chase the paper blowing round the stadium.

Savage sums up the character and determination of Birmingham City. In only their second season back inthe Premiership, they are challenging for Europe with a team built in the mould of their boss Steve Bruce, who would be my choice for Manager of the Year.

Bruce has picked good and hard-working players and made his side competitive against much bigger clubs.

I know the Manager of the Year normally goes to the champions but I think the less obvious candidates like Alan Curbishley and Chris Coleman deserve to be considered as well.

It can’t all be about winning trophies, if Harry Redknapp keeps Portsmouth up, that’s as good an achievement as Alex Ferguson winning the FA Cup.

Steve Bruce would be my choice. If I had to single one out as my Manager of the Year, it would be Steve Bruce. What an achievement it would be if they get in the Champions League – and they still have a chance against the likes of Newcastle and Liverpool.

This is only Brucey’s second season in the Premiership; he consolidated in the first year and now have made the push into the top half of the table which isn’t easy at all.

Birmingham City are a side who really care, they’ve got determination and are ready for the scrap. That’s credit to their manager. And besides all the hard work he has picked good players to be at the club, like Christophe Dugarry, Matthew Upson and Mikael Forssell.

Being a back-four man himself, Steve has also got the defence sorted out – no surprise there! He prides himself on building from the back and he’s clearly using a lot of his experience into training, the result is
Birmingham are one of the hardest teams to beat in the country.

So without decrying the magnificent job Arsene Wenger has done at Arsenal, let’s recognise the managers outside the top three as well.

Red Alert!

Liverpool have got a decent record against Manchester United and it might suit them to go to Old Trafford on Saturday, sit back and counter-attack.

It’s worked in the past fewyears.

I can’t see it being a 3-3 draw, it will be a close, tight match. Everton v Liverpool was the biggest fixture of the season when I started at Anfield but Man Utd was fast catching up by the time I left with what Alex Ferguson was doing.

My best memory was scoring with a 25-yard shot to make it 3-1. But then Gordon Strachan came up with a cheeky goal to make it 3-3.

I used to get a lively reaction when I ran out at Old Trafford – I loved it, I used to rub my hands together and think ‘Great’! I used to thrive on it. If the fans knew that, they probably wouldn’t have given me so much stick.

I’m sure someone like Steve Gerrard will go in with the same attitude on Saturday; United are favourites but I wouldn’t write off Liverpool.

Tangerine dream

Talking of awards, the PFA name their Division Two team of the Season on Sunday and a couple of my lads are going to be in it, Scott Taylor and Richie Wellens.

I am really pleased for them both. Scott has had a fantastic season, it says a lot that he has missed two months with injury and is still our top scorer.Richie is one of those players who I love to watch, he has so much natural ability.

I was lucky enough to be in the Division One all-star team a few times in my career and I know how much it means to be recognised by your fellow professionals.

One year, in 1987-88, four Liverpool players were in the six nominations for PFA Player of the Year. I finished second – but that’s no disgrace behind John Barnes!