All About Stephen Gleeson

Stephen Gleeson is regarded as a kind of Marmite amongst us fans, you either love him or you hate him. I understood this point of view when he first arrived. You either loved him as he was a no nonsense tackler or you hated him as he gave away unnecessary fouls.

This was at the start of his Blues’ career, when he was trying to impress after playing in League One. But why do some people still like him whilst others can’t stand him? We have all seen the same player playing virtually week in week out but yet our views on him are all so different.

I personally think that his partnership with Kieftenbeld is perfect. They both are good tacklers and play the ball simply whether that be to each other, or to a different team mate. This allows us to keep the ball in attacking areas and prevent the other team from getting a handle on the game. I think that Maikel is very good at commanding and communicating which allows Stephen to focus. Without this, I think that Gleeson may be a bit too rash.

In terms of his commitment to the team, it cannot be questioned. I thought at first his work rate may not be there. He had a reputation from MK Don’s fans for just moping about the pitch if his team was losing. However, I have found this to not be the case. He always puts in a good effort, which is something to be expected but it’s not always a given.

His attitude, I thought, would be the thing that split opinion but upon asking some Blues’ fans. Many just don’t rate him as a player. Now, I am a massive fan of Davis but Gleeson is playing really well and keeping him out of the team.

It’s what Gleeson doesn’t do that is effective. Because he likes to drift and cover. This kind of player does not get noticed despite their hard work as it cuts off supply roots for the opposition. It is an off the ball role that has to be executed perfectly. I don’t think a lot of fans appreciate how well he does this job and just how importantly vital that is.

So what do you think of Gleeson? Do you think this season is better than last season in terms of his performances? Comment below.