Manchester United boss Ferguson has been handed a three-game suspension after being found guilty of improper conduct for his comments about referee Martin Atkinson after the Red Devils' defeat at Chelsea. He also has to serve an additional suspended two-match ban over previous comments relating to referee Alan Wiley's fitness. Birmingham boss McLeish, who played under Ferguson at Aberdeen, accepts managers have a responsibility to "keep our trap shut". But he admits the pressures and high tensions involved with being a Premier League manager makes it difficult at times to remain tight-lipped. McLeish said: "I think the rules already have put managers off commenting about refs. "It has definitely cleaned up a little bit. "But you are always going to get one or two examples and one or two falling foul of the authorities. "It could happen to me as well. It is human emotions. "It is very difficult to explain to people who have never been in the situation. "I guess we are mature guys and we are expected to keep our trap shut. "But I couldn't rule out me not getting into trouble in future." McLeish believes Ferguson's defence to the FA also shows he still has great passion for the game. He said: "Even in a time of adversity for Sir Alex, there is still absolutely positive things we can say about that, the fact he has been banned and his phenomenal passion. "That is why he has won things for so long and so often and why he is on the verge of possibly winning more things this season. "A lot of people would give a lot for the kind of tenacity and passion Sir Alex has got." McLeish expects to have six players back available after injury for the Premier League relegation clash at Wigan on Saturday. McLeish was without eight first-team players for the FA Cup quarter-final with Bolton last weekend while Barry Ferguson and Martin Jiranek were injured and substituted during the game. But the situation has eased ahead of the meeting with the Latics. Skipper Stephen Carr, Roger Johnson, Obafemi Martins, Craig Gardner plus Ferguson and Jiranek were able to train today and have been declared fit for the weekend. But doubts still remain over whether Nikola Zigic, Lee Bowyer, David Bentley and Keith Fahey will be available.
