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Pushing On
New Birmingham City recruit Jack Storer has been told by boss Darren Sarll he needs to make the “right choices” in his private life if he is to be a success at St Andrew’s. The Stevenage caretaker manager told the Hertfordshire Mercury that Storer has to “create a better professionalism in his life”.
Blues are no strangers to young players who haven’t quite made it due to lack of professionalism. Neil Kilkenny was signed from Arsenal after the former Australian international midfielder fell out with the Director of the Youth Academy Liam Brady; Ravel Morrison was allegedly on the verge of being kicked out of St Andrew’s while on loan due to his misdemeanors while there has been much talk about Reece Brown’s attitude in the current setup.
Interestingly Storer, who made a single appearance in Stevenage’s first team is seen by Sarll as a central midfielder rather than a striker – whether Blues will come to the same conclusion remains to be seen but the fact Blues have only given Storer a six month deal to me reflects that Storer is being given an opportunity to prove himself he must grasp with both hands.
Being professional is more than just “turning up for the gym on time” or “putting out the cones at training properly” as is often intimated on messageboards; it’s about having the right mindset. Becoming a professional demands many sacrifices from young players; not just eating right but also understanding that their behaviour is going to be examined and deconstructed by the press and public; I remember what I was like at 18 and there is no way I’d have been professional enough so I do have sympathy for players in what is expected of them.
Blues are definitely ramping up what their u21 outfit will look like next year. Not as many players have broken through of late as finances have not dictated looking within to fix holes in the squad; the consequence being players have had more time to develop through the academy and the u21 squad rather than being thrust into the harsh reality of life of the Championship too early.
However, I have to say I do wonder how many of those players if given the chance to sit on the bench and come on would actually take it. I remember Demarai Gray as a development squad player and I’m sure he wasn’t rated as highly as Nathan Redmond was; however Gray was thrust into the first team and he kicked on because of it. I think the removal of emergency loans is a positive thing because I think managers might have to be braver in blooding young players and while some will ultimately fail I think it’s also possible some will step into the limelight and shine.
I’m hopeful that Storer – along with David Popa and Beryly Lubala, who both signed their first pro deals this week – can push on to bigger and better things. If Blues are to succeed in the long term it’s vitally important we can nurture and develop younger players as it’s the only real way for the club to create assets.
Tags: Beryly Lubala, David Popa, Jack Storer
26 Responses to “Pushing On”
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That kind of answers the question I had when I read about him signing only a 6 month contract. Let’s hope he gets his head down and makes a good career for himself.
As for the emergency loan window ending, I couldn’t be more pleased. It means the chances for our younger players to make the step up will be greatly increased. What’s not to like?
I think the most notable risk in taking on a young tearaway was Jermaine Pennant when he came to Blues from Arsenal and had to wear an ankle monitor that kept him out of prison.
He coincidentally is now playing in Singapore.
Singapore
He still shocks me Jerm,aine Pennent, Arsena;l broke the bank to sign him as a teenager, but I hardly seen anything in him, scored 1 goal and think put great cross in for walter THE RIFLE to score on debut, after that contributed little for us.
KRO
I seem to remember that Jermaine Pennant did ok for us in a struggling team and was sold with a profit of £3.7 million to Liverpool. That is a pretty good piece of business in my book.
I thought he was decent for us as well.
Might just be pub talk but I heard this lads Dad is or was, shall we say, one of our more livelier supporters,
Here we go again taking on another problem player. Our club deserve better than this continual harbouring unwanted and troublesome individuals. GR may well feel good about playing this commendable role of trying to ‘sort out’ these type -but if he really wants to change the wayward then I suggest he leaves and applies to become a probation officer. We can then get a manager in who gets young footballers who want to wear the blues shirt.
You want GR to leave because of this – really! What this Sarll bloke said could mean anything its so vague.
Marcus Rashford at ManYoo is a prime example of an unknown youngster who has grabbed his opportunity with both feet! When one of the strikers was injured in the warm-up he was pitched in straight away from the bench, scored and went on to be in the starting line-up from then on with 6 goals in 11 starts. Even talk of him making the Euro 2016 squad, tho that’s taking things a bit too far. He took his chance when it came, knuckled down and while nobody is indispensable he is close to making it so.
I am afraid he would have to be good to sign a problem player in my eyes, is he an excellent passer of a ball for his age if he is a midfield player , and can he score goals from distance if he is a defensive midfield player , both are a necessary evil passing and goals in midfield ., but as you say mitchell do we really deserve another problem child , brown has played for England under 20s so is worth a little longer chance ..Storer’s stats look defensive yet it has been said he is a striker and also a midfield player ,???
Might have been better if the caretaker manager of Stevenage had just kept his big gob shut and let this kid start his footballing career with us with a clean slate. Any concerns he had could have been discussed with the staff at BCFC in private rather than making it public.
Absolutely SB. If we took any notice of a player’s past, we’d never have seen the likes of Pennant, Ravel Morrison, or Marlon King down St Andrews. I don’t care what a player has done before… only what he does at Blues. That’s what I judge every player on.
Yes Indeed
Points raised by both SB and Staffs.are valid-but why o why do we even go down this road. Plenty of talented players must be out there begging for the dream of becoming a footballer willing to give their all,but unless players like Brown and Storer are really special then by pass them. Brown is a good example alongside Ravel Morrison and to some extent Grealish.They all like a bit of football and the trappings etc. but do they want to buckle down with the majority of decent club players-very doubtful. Training at Wast hills must be for winning league games not attempting to psycho-analyse head cases.
True brilliance is tarnished by madness
Let’s give storer a chance, he’s got 6 months to impress and if he’s s problem then he’s gone. Yes we’ve paid money for him, but better to give him the opportunity and reap the rewards of his success than not try at all. He’s under 24 so if another team come in for him then we’ll get what he paid for him at least. If not then no bother.
I honestly would like to see Reece Brown commit to the cause, get an extension and become a regular with us. If Saido Berhanio can do it with WBA, surely he can too
I wonder if Dan has found any clues to who’s on TTA yet , it’s going to be hard , I should think that one of them at least speaks English and I have read that only a handful of the wealthy Chinese entrepreneurs speak English , …are very wealthy , have property in the British virgin islands , knows something about and is a fan of football , mind you there is a billionaire in BVI thet has property there , speaks English ,owns half of a Chinese football club , but I shouldn’t think it is him ,…. KRO
William. I did suggest Daniel take you,Staffs,Dave and myself along. Split up the HK area into four and report back twice a day. Problems arise when we can only afford a daily rate of one rickshaw and none of us I fear can master chopsticks.
Bags investigating the T*tty Bars. Very important work that. :)
You were the obvious choice Staffs- natural leaning and all that. Dave would cover the sixties/seventies bars posing in a Paul Weller outfit and William and myself covering the HSBC area wearing Trump blonde wigs.
Natural leaning… as opposed to my unnatural leaning of course. :))
Went and saw Paul Weller a couple of months ago and the guys a proper legend and I still have that black suit and shoes from The Jam days Mitchell but the suits a bit tight these days but happy days and ELO to come tomorrow and looking forward to that also …. But today is all about the vile getting relegated after 28 years in the top flight and it’s 1987 revisited .. Can’t wait and will party throughout the day when it’s confirmed either at 2.35 or 5.50 depending on Norwich or Man U .. It will be joy released at stans if it’s Norwich and the atmosphere will be one of pure happiness throughout the game no matter what our result is , let’s enjoy as it doesent happen very often . :-) KRO
Agree Dave. On the music front I am a keen follower of the Moody Blues. Spent many happy years at my snooker club with the UB40 lads who owned the place at that time- and the Moody Blues always great guests. Reminiscing again-sorry! On the serious stuff I am just hoping Man.U. target themselves for the biggest win today in their history. Four in each half would be wonderful and we could all enjoy our shishi pipes tonight!
I’d like Norwich to win and for Man Utd to cut loose for once and bang in 5 or 6 against the villa. What a perfect ending that would be. :)
It ‘s not J M ……..??????
It sounds like as if we all stood in a doorway we would look like a box of cottonwool buds Mitchell….