Zola: Brown must sort out his problems
GIANFRANCO Zola says Reece Brown will have to “sort out other problems” if he is to continue his Birmingham City career.
The manager is expected to meet with Brown to discuss the circumstances surrounding the early termination of his loan with Chesterfield.
Brown is out of contract in the summer and Zola has not closed the door on him remaining at the club.
But just as his predecessor did, Zola warns that natural ability is only one part of becoming an established first-team player.
“If you go back in my interviews you can understand the opinion I have about Reece. Repeatedly I said he is a good player and has good qualities,” Zola said.
“But good player and good quality doesn’t mean you are going to have success. You also have to develop other qualities, especially when you are at a young age. I was expecting him to go where he has gone – because he asked me to go – and to do better than he did.
“But even if you are not getting in straight away you need to stay there, work hard and need to find the solutions, because sometimes it’s through sorting the problems out that you get better.
“It didn’t happen. If you ask me if I am pleased, I say ‘no’. He will come back. We will see if there is another solution.”
The circumstances surrounding Brown’s return are not clear.
Chesterfield boss Gary Caldwell cited “a few incidents” but the youngster has not yet put his side of the story on record.
What is clear, though, is that Zola wants to see qualities other than those with a football. He said: “Ability-wise, he could stay here. He could even go to a better team than us but he will have to sort out the other problems.”
Brown played twice for the League One outfit and before his move had made nine appearances for Birmingham this term.