WITH all the continued negativity taking place off the pitch, there was welcome news on it last week as youngster Ben Stevenson committed his long term future to the Sky Blues.
The 19-year-old has been one of very few positives to take from the season so far following a series of hugely impressive performances in the middle of the park.
Despite his young age, Stevenson seems to play way beyond his years and what I like most about him is his determination to win the ball back in the heart of the midfield.
He knows he will make mistakes and give the ball away, but his energy to put things right and win back possession immediately is becoming a joy to watch.
What makes Stevenson even more likeable to us fans is that he’s been involved with the Sky Blues for over ten years having come through the club’s hugely successful academy alongside close friend and fellow midfielder James Maddison.
The two are very alike both on the pitch in their style of play and their looks, and while Maddison took the limelight last season, Stevenson waited patiently for his turn and now seems to be taking his opportunity in the first team with both hands.
It was refreshing to hear Stevenson say how he wanted to help the Sky Blues progress back up the leagues but in truth it is surely on a matter of time before the Premier League and Championship sharks come hunting at the Ricoh Arena, and once again they will be hard to fight off.
Another player I’d to see back in the first team fold is fellow academy graduate Cian Harries.
The young Welsh defender played in all of City’s opening nine matches this season but he hasn’t made an appearance since the hugely disappointing 2-0 defeat at Fleetwood Town at the beginning of September.
I’ve spoken to many fans about Harries and he is highly-rated among the Sky Blue Army. Technically he is superb and his ball-playing skills as a defender are impressive, but perhaps his size is his downfall.
Harries’ style of play has been compared to Liverpool legend Alan Hansen and he’s also in the same mould as John Stones. He shares many similarities with the England centre-back who many people felt needed to ‘bulk up’ during his early days at Everton.
Although it’s still very early days, Harries has similar potential as Stones who came through the Barnsley Academy and is now regarded as one of the best defenders in the Premier League.
I’m not saying Harries is going to reach the same heights but he certainly has the skill and attitude to firstly become a first team regular at City before his potential could take the teenager to a very high level.
It speaks volumes for the fantastic work being carried out by the club’s coaches at youth level and also outlines the importance of the club’s Academy.
We’ve now got a conveyor belt of talent coming through system. Maddison may well have been sold, but Stevenson has filled the hole and if our latest midfield sensation was to move on, I have confidence that there will be another player with similar talent and aspirations ready to make the step into the first team.
Chairman Tim Fisher recently revealed at the latest Supporters Consultative Group (SCG) meeting that the club has to sell players on a yearly basis to be self-sufficient.
Both Stevenson and Harries are now two key assets for the club and both are look likely to play at a higher level.
We’ve seen in the past the likes of Maddison and Callum Wilson being sold perhaps too soon into their Sky Blues career.
Here we have two more Academy products who I’d like to see the new manager build a successful team around – let’s hope they’re given long enough to leave their mark at the Ricoh Arena.
