Sunday 29 November 2015 11:08, UK
Saido Berahino’s attitude was questioned but there are positive signs for the West Brom forward, writes Adam Bate.
There was a telling line from Gareth Southgate when he was addressing the media at St George's Park in the summer. "We're really lucky," said the England Under-21 coach when quizzed about Saido Berahino. "It's a bit like having grandchildren as you can hand them back at the end of the 10 days. So we get less of those sorts of issues that club managers have to deal with."
Berahino has certainly given West Brom boss Tony Pulis plenty to worry about during his time at the Hawthorns. The forward had already been caught on camera inhaling nitrous oxide and was charged with drink-driving just weeks after Pulis arrived. A transfer request in August - seemingly in the hope of forcing through a move to Tottenham - risked alienating Albion fans further.
"Respect has to be earned and Saido has to learn that lesson," said Pulis in the immediate aftermath. "West Brom have nurtured Saido's career for over a decade, they deserve the utmost respect and at times unwillingly he has shown them little. He has to grow up and wise up to the fact that people at West Brom have supported him right from the beginning of his career.
"It will be difficult to integrate Saido into this group. His attitude will be questioned. The supporters will also be looking for a player who wears their badge with commitment and honesty, they will want to see Saido showing the respect they deserve." A vocal minority heartily booed the striker in West Brom's subsequent fixture against Southampton.
That might well have been the beginning of the end of a story we've seen countless times before. Certainly, the sight of Berahino training alone last week would've surprised few. And yet, there's a twist to the difficult integration of which Pulis spoke. Out of the senior England squad and no longer eligible for the Under-21s, Berahino was there putting in the hard work.
"He didn't have any days off so he trained every day, worked really hard and showed a good attitude," said West Brom coach Ben Garner, quoted in the Express and Star. "And that's the best I've seen him in a training session. He looked really sharp, he looked hungry. Saido has got wonderful talent, but it's up to him to be in the peak physical condition to make the most of that talent."
It conjures an image that might challenge the perception of Berahino as a problem child. Even that tag hints at the truth that he remains a youngster - still only 22. The only player younger than him to score more than twice in the Premier League last season was Raheem Sterling - and he found the net seven times compared to Berahino's total of 14. It's a reminder that he's a talent of substance.
It's unusual to see such nerveless finishing at his age. Ex-Baggies boss Alan Irvine even compared him to Ian Wright. According to Opta, Berahino was a more reliable converter of clear-cut chances than Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane last year (the top two scorers overall) and ranks among the top-three strikers for shot conversion rates this term. "He's a quality finisher," said Southgate. "If you put shooting sessions on, the quality is very, very good."
One such England session saw Berahino chip Jack Butland with panache. The video made it onto YouTube and when a player is impressing among the country's best, it's a clue that his gifts are special. Ultimately, Berahino was forced to withdraw from Southgate's squad for last summer's European Under-21 Championship through injury, but he left a positive impression nevertheless.
"He's been a pleasure to work with," said Southgate. "It's clear there have been a couple of dips off the field in the past year. What I like about it is that there's always a recognition of it. You'd hope that as time goes on there are fewer of those dips and over time they disappear. If so, he's got a fantastic chance of being a top player."
Perhaps most intriguingly, Southgate shed some light on Berahino's relationship with his club manager. "Working with Tony will have added other sides to his game in terms of the tactical stuff," he added. "Tony will work a lot on that. Saido responded well to it and I know that Tony was really pleased with the way that he responded to what was asked of him."
If Southgate is the grandparent, maybe Pulis is the father-figure after all. "I get on very well with Saido," said Pulis at the weekend. "He was absolutely convinced that the day would come in that window that he would be leaving this football club and it shook him. He's just coming back now and just starting to realise, there's a big world out there and sometimes you get swallowed up in it.
"He's definitely got his head down. He's still not near what he was at the back end of last season, but I think the penny's dropped. The kid realises and understands, irrespective of what we do as a football club, he's got to be right himself." The signs are that Berahino is working through his issues. And when that happens, there's no obvious limit to his potential.
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