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Kieftenbeld deal a step in the right direction for Blues

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Yesterday the news broke that Maikel Kieftenbeld had signed a new two-year contract that will keep him tied to the club until June 2020, with an additional 12-month option in favour of the club also being installed within the deal.

This announcement ultimately brings an end to the continuous speculation surrounding the Dutchman`s future, after he was seemingly destined to be reunited with former manager Gary Rowett and his promotion chasing Derby County.

After being iced out of the squad by Redknapp, Kief has regained his position back in the starting XI under Cotterill and has produced some stellar performances, most notably his starring man of the match role in the win over Nottingham Forest.

It is my belief that it takes a strong-minded type of player to continue performing with the same level of commitment and passion in spite of any transfer speculation that may be looming over their head.

I think that this notion has been ultimately recognised myself and the vast majority of the St Andrews faithful and why so many fans rejoiced at the club`s statement on various social media platforms.

This contract extension has to be viewed as a massive step in the right direction for Blues, as it ensures that the quest for discovering a winning formula can be continued with another a key player maintained within the ranks.

Kief has become quite a popular figure down at St Andrews over the years and I think that his departure would have only lead to further unsettlement within the changing room.

If Kief had decided to sever ties with the club, Blues would have been tasked with finding a replacement in a short amount of time, which would have more than likely resulted in the panic buy of a lesser quality player.

In my honest opinion, I believe that Kief`s willingness to extend his contract also signifies that the changing room is not as toxic as many fans have previously speculated.

Why else would Kief pledge himself to a team that finds itself in yet another relegation battle, unless he genuinely believed there was something still worth fighting for.

Of course, the obvious response to this statement would be that he has had his wage increased significantly, however Kief would have more than likely found a similar wage packet at another club, which subsequently reinforces my belief that his commitment to the club is total.

His new deal will certainly come as a beacon of light to many who are viewing this January as an increasingly lacklustre transfer window, despite it being clearly evident that dead wood needs to leave this over saturated squad before new faces can arrive.

I for one am extremely happy that Kieftenbeld is not one of those players to be shown the door and can only hope that this contract extension will inspire more deals from other key performers within the squad, such as the in-form Jacques Maghoma, whose current deal is set to expire this coming summer.

I think that most Blues fans would agree with me when I say that Kief isn`t the most technically gifted or most glamourous player to have ever graced the hallowed turf of St Andrews, however his sheer professionalism and clear commitment to the club is an attribute that we can only hope other members of the squad attain.

Kief will inevitably still have some critics, but for now we should be thankful that he has chosen not to give up on the Blues during a time when they need him most.

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