A WANTED MAN...
BUT CARDIFF BOSS MORISON BELIEVES RISING STAR COLWILL WILL BE BETTER OFF STAYING WITH THE BLUEBIRDS TO DEVELOP
STEVE Morison admits he ‘wouldn’t be surprised’ to see other clubs taking an interest in Rubin Colwill when the transfer window re-opens next month – but insists Cardiff City remains the best place for him to continue his impressive progress.
The 19-year-old once again earned heavy praise after netting his fourth goal of the season in the 2-1 win over Luton Town last week, and is now City’s joint-top scorer.
It’s already been something of a whirlwind year for the youngster, who previously struggled to impress Morison when they were working together with the club’s under23s.
But a stunning first-team breakthrough under Mick McCarthy, and the three Wales caps that have come with it, has seen him emerge as one City’s brightest young talents.
Morison himself admits the forward still has plenty of work ahead of him, but admits his form is already likely to attract admiring glances this January.
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” he said when quizzed on potential interest. “Of course not. I’d be pleased, because that means we’re doing something right. When was the last time we had interest in one of our academy boys?
“We’re talking about a player that’s one of the top goalscorers in the team, playing week-in, week-out and is a massive part of the football club and of where we’ve been and our success. It’s not one we’d be entertaining any time soon.”
Morison believes any interest in Colwill should be taken as a ringing endorsement of the club’s efforts at academy level, and insists Cardiff remains the ideal place for the youngster to continue his progress.
“This is the best place for him,” Morison added. “Playing in front of his family and his friends, the team he’s supported his whole life. Playing with his mates and growing with a support network that love and believe in him.
“I can’t see that [a sale] being of any interest to this football club. But I’m not going to sit here and lie that no-one’s going to be interested in a 19-year-old that’s arguably our star man most weeks.”
Morison also insists he was right to overlook Colwill during his time as under-23s boss, but has clearly been taken aback by the player’s willingness to progress.
He said: “It was because he wasn’t good enough. The game was too fast for him. Every time he started the game, the game bypassed him and it was like he couldn’t sort his feet out.
“But when you brought him on with 20 minutes or 30 minutes to go where the game opened up, he always flourished. He asked me numerous times and I said the same thing to him and then all of a sudden he was someone you couldn’t leave out the team.
“When I watched him for the first team, I felt exactly the same thing at the start of the year. What’s his best cameo of the season? Nottingham Forest where he came on as a sub and the game was opened up.
“He started the next game and he got dragged off at half-time. We’ve come in, and I knew that if I played in a way that suited him, I’d be able to try and get the best out of him. I think ultimately that has happened.”