Dann ready to answer Blues call; Dann is ready to step up.

Byline: Colin Tattum

SCOTT Dann has revealed he would be fully prepared to step into the line of fire and make his Blues debut at Hull City tomorrow.

The centre-half has had just two short appearances in the reserves after pulling a thigh muscle.

But he may well have to go into action at the KC Stadium due to Franck Queudrue's hamstring tear.

Queudrue had been partnering Roger Johnson in the heart of the defence, to great effect, too, after Martin Taylor damaged his ankle in pre-season.

Dann, a pounds 3.5million signing from Coventry City and the only one of the summer recruits yet to figure, said: "It's been very frustrating for me.

"It's not been a very good start to my career here but I've been coming back now.

"Fitness-wise, I feel quite good. I just need the matches, the sharpness, that kind of stuff.

"I want to get back into the squad as soon as possible and be involved.

"The last thing I want is to be sitting there on my own on a Saturday or not going away with the lads.

"It's down to the gaffer whether he puts me in or not, but if he does then I will try my best as I always do.

"I've only played 45 minutes last week for the reserves and 66 minutes on Monday, so it's just kind of getting back into the swing of things.

"But if I was called upon I'm the kind of person who wants to play and I would make sure I'm prepared and ready for it."

Giovanny Espinoza is the other real alternative for Alex McLeish but he has been troubled by sore groins.

Liam Ridgewell, who has made a remarkable recovery from a broken leg, is ''available for selection again'', said McLeish. But it would be a massive gamble to play him with no warm-up games, as McLeish also admitted. Dann said he felt Blues had been decent so far this season. "I don't think we've looked out of place," he added. "The lads have been spot-on and have played very well in nearly every game. "Maybe it's a bit of luck we need to start the goalscoring off or something going our way, someone just coming into a couple of goals. "When we do score, we've got to make sure that we hang on and get the result."

McLeish will have Stephen Carr back after injury but Lee Carsley and Damien Johnson have now both got niggles. James McFadden has joined the longer-term absentees which include Cameron Jerome, Martin Taylor, Marcus Bent and Gregory Vignal. About Ridgewell, McLeish said: "He is way ahead of schedule. He was supposed to be out for eight to 10 months, he's back after five months. He's available for selection, albeit he has not had game time. He is somebody who will be considered in the next couple of weeks."