MK: “I think he’s got great attributes to be a really good player.”

Ahead of another road trip, this time to Port Vale, Mark Kennedy was keen to praise the impact of the players not currently being selected before assessing at length the attributes of TJ Eyoma, as the player homes in on a hundred appearances for the Imps.

You can discuss what Mark Kennedy has said ahead of this match HERE, as well as get involved with our pre-match threads: You can post your score predictions, discuss the starting XI, and predict the attendance!

The attitude of those currently not selected: MK readily concurred that it is always helpful to have the settled side he currently has available but really wanted to highlight the role of those not garnering regular game time.

“What’s been really great for us is the attitude of the lads who haven’t been playing, the togetherness and the unity within the group. Really evident in how we trained today. I know players are not happy not playing but professionalism, attitude, and conduct, application, and ownership of themselves has been outstanding and they deserve a lot of credit”

It is something people on the outside don’t see, with the importance being how much they have been responsible for driving the high standards of those who have been selected recently.

TJ Eyoma: With the player approaching his appearance milestone MK firstly wanted to outline the personal qualities that TJ possesses. He sees TJ as a brilliant young kid, genuine lovely lad, who is a warm, quiet individual who really cares about his game. MK explained how much fun it is seeing TJ and another youngster in Tashan Oakley-Boothe that constantly push each other in a positive way. They can be seen doing unprompted extra training working on even smaller aspects of their game such as practising throw-ins.

Initially, under the MK regime, TJ had struggled to find consistency and had the postponed game versus Accrington gone ahead the player knew he wasn’t going to be selected. TJ really embraced the advice he was given at that time and as we know he never lost his place. It is worth noting the pressure TJ took on his shoulders having performed so well for the club during his initial loan period at the club. After the Accrington match nongame, MK has observed a notable upturn in TJ’s reliability of performance.

“In the last six or seven games he’s really showed his consistency and his levels. I think he’s got great attributes to be a really good player”. MK later added, “TJ is definitely one of those boys who demands the best from himself. I just want him to recognise how good he can be”.

The conversation then developed around the route TJ had taken by stepping out of development football and into first team action with MK making the point that the two are very different. With players like TJ and TOB they come from incredible environments such as at Spurs where they are surrounded by outstanding players/talents. Sadly however in spite of that, the statistics show what a very small percentage of academy players make it to the next level. It’s not just about being technically excellent and being pleasing on the eye. Conversely if someone is a good athlete, can tackle, head and is strong; they will hit a low ceiling if they are not good players also. Basically, a bit of everything is needed plus a bit of luck.

Therefore MK is pleased that TJ got out of academy football at the early stage he did because if ‘you’ are good enough age is irrelevant, but ‘you’ must put ‘yourself’ out there. MK vividly recalled a couple of lads when he was an academy coach who ‘blew him out the water’ when he arranged really good L2 loans for them and for one of them at least he has slipped down the levels markedly.

“Credit to TJ and the young kids that say, ‘I want to go out on loan, I want to test myself, I want to put myself in uncomfortable situations. That’s why I think we see where he is now”.

Writer: hulloutpost

MK: "I think he's got great attributes to be a really good player."https://t.co/Gj18lLCbGO#PVFC #ImpsAsOne #WeAreImps

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