Insightful piece about Sam Bowen from MM's perspective

[bluethrough™]

The emergence of Cardiff City's latest young star and how Mick McCarthy's 'barking' paid off​

For many Cardiff City fans, Sam Bowen's name has never been too far away during his progress through the youth ranks.

The Wales youth international has always been somewhere near the top of the class, but as time got closer to an age where he should be making his first-team debut he appeared to slip off the radar as others blossomed.

He is a player who immediately drew Mick McCarthy's attention at the beginning of this season, too.

Bowen had not really been near a Cardiff squad until the manager came in back in January, but was included in the match-day 20 for the South Wales derby clash at the Liberty Stadium earlier this year.

But while McCarthy, and his assistant Terry Connor, had identified the player's talent, there was still something missing. He wasn't quite at the required level.

They urged him to do more, to want it more, to do that little bit extra to really force his way into the reckoning.

So, suffice to say McCarthy was mightily pleased when the 20-year-old rocked up to pre-season champing at the bit to get going and he impressed the coaching staff throughout the course of pre-season.

Bowen put in some encouraging displays in pre-season, but it was on Tuesday night when he made everyone sit up and take notice.

The midfielder was the best player on the pitch from a Cardiff City perspective. He affected the game high up the pitch, pulled strings and worked diligently in defence, too.

He came in for praise from not only McCarthy but from Wales under-21s manager Paul Bodin in light of his performance, too, and the Bluebirds boss has admitted that the youngster has prompted quite the selection headache ahead of this weekend's Severnside derby clash with Bristol City.

"He played very well and that's what he is supposed to do. He has done exactly what I hoped he would," McCarthy said.

"I have to say, TC and myself came in and we could see Sam's ability, but we were never quite sure about his drive to go and do it. To push himself on and get about the pitch.
"There was someone who suggested he was a sitter. What is a sitter? Someone who just sits there. He's got more than that.

"The two of us have been barking at him, encouraging him to do more, and I have to say he has done.

"He has responded to that and come back in pre-season and has been excellent.

"His performance, that has come from what he's been doing with the first team.

"I really was delighted with him, he has given me food for thought, certainly."
He joins a growing list of players to have graduated from the academy into the first team in recent months.

Joel Bagan, Tom Sang, Ciaron Brown, Rubin Colwill, Mark Harris, Tavio d'Almeida, Oliver Denham, Tom Davies and now, of course, Bowen have all made their first-team debuts over the last year or so and the club looks in a healthier position for it.

McCarthy has said that while there have been enquiries over taking a few of their young players out on loan, he is happy to keep them all in situ to help prop up the squad this season.

Bowen is certainly one who, you would think, will have a part to play now moving forward this season.

While we have, of course, spoken often about the pathway which has been created over the last few years which has facilitated these young players getting their chance in the first team, McCarthy believes it is always down to the player.

In Bowen's case, he has shown this summer that he means business and is desperate to grab his chance with both hands.
"Sometimes they can be just on the periphery and they never get a chance," McCarthy said of Bowen.

"Not getting a chance is generally through them, not Neil [Harris] before me or anyone else, it's the player.

"Sometimes you need that bit of encouragement to step up to the plate and do it.

"You can see his ability, but I have to say I could see he didn't do enough running, going forward or being positive enough.

"TC and myself definitely tried to help him with that because he has got it in his locker.

"He is doing it now and he is a better player for it.

"Credit to him, he came back in pre-season fitter than he was when he left and I take my hat off to him. He's doing well."

 

[bluethrough™]

Just found it interesting in layman's terms to see that talent alone just isn't enough. Sort of makes sense of the high standards and right attitude needed to progress into the main squad.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

How refreshing is it to read a list of youngsters names that are slowly becoming a part of the team.

For the last god knows how many years we’ve had literally nobody coming through the ranks and now we’ve got a whole host of them.

Credit to Mick for giving these lads a go but obviously the academy deserve a lot of credit too.

 

[Popeye]

Really happy to finally see youngsters coming through after a barren number of years.
Maybe MM’s hand is forced a bit with our lack of money but none of these youngsters have looked out of place in the games they have played which is really encouraging.

Makes you wonder what our previous 4 managers were doing.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Just found it interesting in layman's terms to see that talent alone just isn't enough. Sort of makes sense of the high standards and right attitude needed to progress into the main squad.

Exactly.

The football world is full of players that never achieved anything because they assumed talent alone would be enough.

Talent without application is meaningless.

There’s a reason Robbie Savage achieved more in his career than players with far more talent.

Its also the reason why players like Tomlin will always have regrets.

 

[bluethrough™]

Really happy to finally see youngsters coming through after a barren number of years.
Maybe MM’s hand is forced a bit with our lack of money but none of these youngsters have looked out of place in the games they have played which is really encouraging.

Makes you wonder what our previous 4 managers were doing.

I know not all will become successful at a high level, but now we are blooding players at least there is a chance of some gems being found.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

I know not all will become successful at a high level, but now we are blooding players at least there is a chance of some gems being found.

Hidden gems eh?

 

[bluethrough™]

Hidden gems eh?

Thought it might cheer a certain someone

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Thought it might cheer a certain someone

 

[Norris Cole]

Thought it might cheer a certain someone

 

[Dr. Lecter]

There he is….

 

[Norris Cole]

There he is….

Mr Cole to you son.

 

[kernel]

The emergence of Cardiff City's latest young star and how Mick McCarthy's 'barking' paid off​

For many Cardiff City fans, Sam Bowen's name has never been too far away during his progress through the youth ranks.

The Wales youth international has always been somewhere near the top of the class, but as time got closer to an age where he should be making his first-team debut he appeared to slip off the radar as others blossomed.

He is a player who immediately drew Mick McCarthy's attention at the beginning of this season, too.

Bowen had not really been near a Cardiff squad until the manager came in back in January, but was included in the match-day 20 for the South Wales derby clash at the Liberty Stadium earlier this year.

But while McCarthy, and his assistant Terry Connor, had identified the player's talent, there was still something missing. He wasn't quite at the required level.

They urged him to do more, to want it more, to do that little bit extra to really force his way into the reckoning.

So, suffice to say McCarthy was mightily pleased when the 20-year-old rocked up to pre-season champing at the bit to get going and he impressed the coaching staff throughout the course of pre-season.

Bowen put in some encouraging displays in pre-season, but it was on Tuesday night when he made everyone sit up and take notice.

The midfielder was the best player on the pitch from a Cardiff City perspective. He affected the game high up the pitch, pulled strings and worked diligently in defence, too.

He came in for praise from not only McCarthy but from Wales under-21s manager Paul Bodin in light of his performance, too, and the Bluebirds boss has admitted that the youngster has prompted quite the selection headache ahead of this weekend's Severnside derby clash with Bristol City.

"He played very well and that's what he is supposed to do. He has done exactly what I hoped he would," McCarthy said.

"I have to say, TC and myself came in and we could see Sam's ability, but we were never quite sure about his drive to go and do it. To push himself on and get about the pitch.
"There was someone who suggested he was a sitter. What is a sitter? Someone who just sits there. He's got more than that.

"The two of us have been barking at him, encouraging him to do more, and I have to say he has done.

"He has responded to that and come back in pre-season and has been excellent.

"His performance, that has come from what he's been doing with the first team.

"I really was delighted with him, he has given me food for thought, certainly."
He joins a growing list of players to have graduated from the academy into the first team in recent months.

Joel Bagan, Tom Sang, Ciaron Brown, Rubin Colwill, Mark Harris, Tavio d'Almeida, Oliver Denham, Tom Davies and now, of course, Bowen have all made their first-team debuts over the last year or so and the club looks in a healthier position for it.

McCarthy has said that while there have been enquiries over taking a few of their young players out on loan, he is happy to keep them all in situ to help prop up the squad this season.

Bowen is certainly one who, you would think, will have a part to play now moving forward this season.

While we have, of course, spoken often about the pathway which has been created over the last few years which has facilitated these young players getting their chance in the first team, McCarthy believes it is always down to the player.

In Bowen's case, he has shown this summer that he means business and is desperate to grab his chance with both hands.
"Sometimes they can be just on the periphery and they never get a chance," McCarthy said of Bowen.

"Not getting a chance is generally through them, not Neil [Harris] before me or anyone else, it's the player.

"Sometimes you need that bit of encouragement to step up to the plate and do it.

"You can see his ability, but I have to say I could see he didn't do enough running, going forward or being positive enough.

"TC and myself definitely tried to help him with that because he has got it in his locker.

"He is doing it now and he is a better player for it.

"Credit to him, he came back in pre-season fitter than he was when he left and I take my hat off to him. He's doing well."

I know Mick says it's down to the players' own efforts but when they can see lots of other lads from the academy getting their shot at the first team it encourages them and they can see it's a real progression.

Having the boss coach them into giving it the extra push definitely helps too.

Also, I can see myself peppering the term "sitter" into conversations in future

 

[Travis Bickle]

Exactly.

The football world is full of players that never achieved anything because they assumed talent alone would be enough.

Talent without application is meaningless.

There’s a reason Robbie Savage achieved more in his career than players with far more talent.

Its also the reason why players like Tomlin will always have regrets.

Josh Murphy is a prime example of talent without application

 

[Travis Bickle]

Having all these youngsters getting their chance will make it easier recruit new kids, when they can see these kids getting their chance.

 

[Jimmytaff]

Josh Murphy is a prime example of talent without application

His brother shows him up

 

[Glos Blue]

I think a lot of it is down to good man management too.

Academy players with no real route into the first team, left to languish in the u 23’s, little or no contact to the first team, a succession of managers who won’t take the risk on them.

Then suddenly a new manager comes in, takes a close look at all the academy players, gives them areas where they need to improve their game and gradually a decent number of them get to join the first team. A few match day experiences on the bench and then opportunities to show what they can do on the big stage. It’s amazing what effect that can have on developing minds. The manager having faith in them and they all seem to be working hard to repay the opportunities Mick’s giving them. Long may it continue.

 

[Hartley]

Sam has been with the club since he was 7 years old. He’s been coached to play a certain way, a “sitter” as Mick called it. I don’t think it’s his fault, or a bad attitude, but Mick clearly wants more from his midfielders.

if anything this shows the boy has a good attitude because he’s gone away and got himself fitter between seasons so that he can give the manager what he wanted pre-season.

 

[Hartley]

Josh Murphy is a prime example of talent without application

He’s a confidence player. For my mind the best thing you could do with Murphy as his manager is tell him he’s in for the next 6 matches and that you’ll support him all the way. Give him a chance to gain some consistency.

 

[Martin John]

Mick’s attitude towards the youth players is so refreshing, he was the last manager I thought would come in and do this but here we are. Actions speak louder than words (looking at you Neil Harris) and Mick’s done more for the academy in 8 months than all previous city managers of the last 10 years put together.

Would be a great statement to put Bowen straight into the team alongside Pack tomorrow.