Gianfranco Zola has confirmed that a crop of young players, including Koby Arthur and Charlee Adams, won’t be offered new contracts this summer. Other senior players could also be moved on as the rebuilding job begins.
Rob Wildey looks into the possible departures.
Stephen Gleeson
The Irish international has had a tough time this season. After struggling to assert his authority in games, Gleeson has had to make do with a place on the bench in recent weeks. A player of undoubted ability, his distribution can be his main asset, but he has to be on the pitch to use it.
With the likliehood of players coming in during the summer window, Gleeson may be sacrificed in the rebuilding job.
Robert Tesche
Despite Gianfranco Zola going on record to speak of his admiration for Tesche’s recent performances, the German midfielder has been a shadow of the player he was during his loan spell a couple of seasons back.
His influence on games has been heavily diluted and he is arguably keeping his place in the team only due to a lack of viable alternatives. While Tesche isn’t a bad player, he wouldn’t be a massive miss.
Adam Legzdins
The Brummie goalkeeper has waited patiently for his chances to arrive during his second spell at Blues. After earning a run of games earlier on in the season, he has been strictly an understudy to Tomasz Kuszczak since.
This won’t change and with Kuszczak the undisputed number one aged 35, Zola may wish to bring a new stopper in to keep the Pole on his toes. That could mean Legzdins is moved on to pastures new.
Reece Brown
The Reece Brown conundrum won’t go away. His potential, which is enormous, isn’t solely enough to earn him a place in the team – his application must improve. Unfortunately, Brown is no longer a kid. At 21, he should be banging Zola’s door down to play games yet, sadly, this isn’t the case and he seems to be drifting further away from the picture.
Greg Stewart
The Scottish winger was bought in by Gary Rowett who was searching for pace and a creative spark. While Stewart has pace in abundance, he’s yet to show the creative edge that the previous manager was banking on.
Stewart is struggling to even get a place on the bench and it would come as no surprise to see him depart this summer.
David Cotterill
The Welsh winger has been farmed out on loan to Bristol City and has fared pretty well so far. But his relationship with the Blues fans was rocky at best and Zola doesn’t appear to be a great lover.
His set pieces will be missed but, in the eyes of many fans, his workrate – or lack of – won’t. He could be shipped out permanently this summer.
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