Re: Jude

mattwakeman

If you were Jude, would you sign a contract with Blues? .

100 percent I would.

And if he were my son I would recommend him to do that as well.

Your post contradicts itself completely - because on the one hand you talk about what's best for his career, and without doubt that is to stay at Blues, be well coached and looked after and to play loads of first team games.

Then you talk about chancing your arm and trying your luck and setting yourself up for life, which is a completely different thing.

Too many kids chase the money - I suspect Bellingham will not do that. And that's not because I am delusional and think his pashun for Blues will make him stay, it's because I think he's a very sensible well brought-up kid with a very caring and supportive family structure around him. I think they know that all things being equal; he is going to have one hell of a good career and that the money will come, but for now he will develop better in comfortable surroundings and by playing in the first team.

I really hope that you are right, but I don't see that I am contradicting myself in what I have said. There is absolute huge amount of doubt that staying at Blues is the best thing for him.

Forget that he could get injured tomorrow, look at the team at the moment and how it plays. Who is in the team next month? How about next year? Who is the manager? Will there even be a team?

It depends on how we are defining his career. Will he play more games if he stays at Blues? Probably yes; but what if he signs at - say Tottenham - and they then loan him out for a season to a well-run, well-coached team at the top end of the Championship. Oh, but he's also signed a contract for way more money than Blues can offer him.

Is being at Blues the same as that?

I want him to sign and stay; I hope that he does. All I am saying is that I just don't 100% believe that doing so is automatically the best for him. By all accounts, he is, as you say, a very level-headed and mature young man and so I hope that he doesn't just chase the money - I also hope that he doesn't just choose for his heart as well.