This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Time to put the ‘hometown discount’ theory to the test.
Reports have been flooding in over recent weeks that the likes of Bayern Munich and Liverpool are interested in Birmingham City’s Jude Bellingham.
Now Blues boss Pep Clotet has weighed in on the conversation. He thinks that being linked with such big names will act as a form of motivation for the 16-year-old:
“We will see what effect it has. I think he is going to be alright with it, it’s just motivation to keep going and keep growing. Actually I think that will encourage him to play well and know there are clubs who want him and he has a good level of attention.
“In a really good player that will motivate him to go more and play for us to a better level. I think it is going to be very good for him if he knows there is some interest but the fact is he wants to play for Birmingham City. This I know because he has a Birmingham heart.”
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However, Clotet might be slightly naïve in his comments here.
Whilst the fact he is a City fan will play a huge role in this, that doesn’t necessarily mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.
It is always romantic to think of a player being a ‘one-club man’ for the majority or the whole of their career, but even that has some limitations. Wayne Rooney left Everton for Manchester United, Andy Carroll departed Newcastle to go to Liverpool and Steven Gerrard eventually walked out of Anfield to have a brief stint with L.A Galaxy.
So it isn’t exactly a slam dunk that the ‘one of our own’ factor will be the deciding aspect in whether or not Bellingham decides to stay or depart St Andrew’s.
Which is why Birmingham need to give him an incentive to stay.
Whether that be with a long term contract with a bumper pay-rise, or with progression on the pitch to show that Birmingham are going places in the future.
That might not be possible given the way Demarai Gray and Nathan Redmond departed but that’s an added reason as to why their policy must change.
If the Birmingham board and management are serious about keeping hold of the teenager and believe in this mantra that he won’t go anywhere simply because he is a Blues fan, they need to remove as much temptation from him as possible.
The lure of Bayern and Liverpool is a strong one but his development might be best suited in the Midlands for now. It’s up to Clotet and co to prove that to him.
