Gray’s Call Up Deserved

In football, the ones who make it are often those who sacrifice a lot and whom have a positive attitude. Gary Neville often spoke about the commitment levels of being a professional. The early nights, healthy eating and focus on training are all key according to G Nev.

In my eyes, Gray’s willingness to make such big decisions in order to better himself in the future are what stands out. He has stayed with Birmingham City despite interest from Premier League clubs and as we all know, a bid from Bournemouth. But what stands out is that he CHOSE to stay and work hard at a club who has helped him throughout his early career.

It is clear that we nurture players. The likes of Redmond and Butland are prime examples of how well the youth system works, but even they may have moved on too early. The mistake of jumping to a big club too soon has been felt by many. Zaha to Manchester United just one of the many examples of how a youngster with so much talent wasn’t able to be nurtured due to the greed of getting his name in lights.

Gray has been level headed throughout the transfer saga. He has trained and played with his head down all the way through pre-season and this is testament to his determination and drive. Whether it be for personal reasons or not, the fact that he has stayed does show loyalty and this is definitely appreciated by the fans who I have spoken to.

In terms of his England call up, it is fully deserved. His pace and skill are obviously a very good asset for him but I think that the way in which he handled the pressure of the transfer showed to the England staff how mature he is and therefore willing to make the step up to the U21’s without becoming arrogant about it.

Many U21 stars have let it get to their heads and not made it to full internationals and this is something the managers will be skilled in handling. But I’m sure with Gray they can see a lad who will work tirelessly to improve and someone who will take to the step up like a duck to water.