Birmingham City manager Lee Bowyer’s high hopes for this teenage player

Teenage star Jordan James bagged his first Birmingham City goal on Saturday – and Blues boss Lee Bowyer was once again full of praise for the gifted 17-year-old.

James fired home emphatically from 15 yards following Onel Hernandez’s clever cut-back to put Blues ahead at Stoke and then once again impressed with his composure on the ball and range of passing in an entertaining 2-2 draw.

Since academy product James made his first team debut in early November last year, he has taken to the physical and relentless nature of the Championship like a duck to water.

Never one to shirk a tackle, he is a midfielder who Bowyer admires greatly and, after all, the former Leeds United star knows a thing or two about what makes a top midfield player.

After James’ 16^th senior appearance and ninth Championship start, Bowyer was gushing in his admiration of the Hereford-born player’s talents.

Why does Bowyer says Jordan James is improving?

Bowyer said: “Jordan James is a 17-year-old kid who’s learning the game. For me, the finish and the area where he’s scored and the composure he has to pass the ball into the corner of the net, these are the things we work on. It’s pleasing for me because he’s listening and improving.

“If he keeps doing what he’s doing and showing the hunger and the desire to improve, then his future is as bright as he wants it to be.

“He’s a tremendous asset. He’s a good player and, if he wasn’t, trust me, he wouldn’t be playing. People are going to be looking at him for sure.”

Blues fans may not be thrilled at the prospect of losing James at some point in the future, especially after the departure of Jude Bellingham, but that is the nature of football and the hopes are that ‘JJ’ will continue his development at St Andrew’s and help turn Blues into a side challenging at the right end of the table in the next few seasons.

What has arguably most impressed Bowyer and Blues fans about James is his willingness to persevere during the most difficult times on the pitch.

When Blues were struggling in December, their thumping 4-0 loss at Blackburn Rovers was a real low point. However, Bowyer was at pains to praise James amidst the chaos.

What else has Lee Bowyer said about Jordan James?

After the setback at Ewood Park, Bowyer said: “The only positive was Jordan. He’s the one player who can walk out of that dressing room with his head held high. He tried to do the right things and he’s learning.”

James provided the assist for Lukas Jutkiewicz’s winner against Blackpool on his first start for Blues start in late November and has been unlucky not to add more goals to his tally so far.

Nevertheless, Bowyer has seen more than enough to know he can rely on James as the youngster battles Ryan Woods, Gary Gardner and Ivan Sunjic for a place in the starting XI.

After Blues were beaten by QPR at the turn of the year, James and fellow teenager George Hall were again picked out for plaudits by Bowyer.

Commitment

“I don’t think you can ask any more from two 17-year-olds. They put their bodies on the line and gave everything. They tried to do the right thing in the final third,” said the manager.

James is never short of commitment on the field and, when he took up a two-year scholarship in July 2020, the club’s then head of professional development Mike Dodds highlighted the commitment shown by James and his family off it in making a round trip of more than 100 miles for training in Birmingham three times a week for nine years.

He clearly has a wise head on young shoulders and that can only be a good thing for Birmingham City as his career progresses.

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