FOOTBALL THINGS BERA GET BETTER
Sparky: No excuses left, Saido
MARK HUGHES has ordered goal-shy Saido Berahino to put in a ‘working summer’ – and make sure he returns to the bet365 Stadium firing on all cylinders.
Stoke City’s boss has made it clear that there will be increased pressure on his £12million striker to perform next term after a barren half- season with the Potters.
Berahino failed to find the net in 13 outings following his move from West Brom and January.
Hughes and his staff were prepared to give the forward some leeway due to his levels of fitness. But the Stoke boss said that will no longer be an excuse when the players report back after the summer break.
Hughes said: “We’d have liked Saido to have scored any number of goals and won us games. He hasn’t quite managed that.
“That’s not a huge criticism of him because he had been out in terms of playing regular football for a while so we have cut him a little bit of slack.
“But he knows next year, along with everybody else, that there’s more pressure on him to perform and get the goals that we know he’s capable of.
“We’ve seen that in training day-in, day-out.
“We’re pleased with the guy –
he’s come in and he has worked exceptionally hard in terms of his fitness.
“Initially he wasn’t at the level he needed to be at, but he’s getting there. He’s going to have a working summer in terms of doing extra before he comes back.
“Then he will have the benefit of a full pre-season as well, where he’ll get opportunities in friendlies to be scoring goals and making chances. We will get him physically and mentally ready.”
Hughes has been asking Berahino to lead the line for Stoke though he was often used off the flanks at The Hawthorns.
Service
Hughes added: “We have been flexible this season. We’re not rigid in terms of formation.
“We’ve played three at the back which allows you to go with two strikers, for example. We do change things around.
“But ideally, when he’s playing well, more often than not he’s playing off people’s shoulders.
“We haven’t given him enough of that service this season.
“We’re getting used to him and he’s getting used to us. With the benefit of a long pre-season, we can really nail that down.
“For most players, to go from no goals to 15-20 would be a big jump. There would be pressure if he had not done that before.
“It would probably be an unrealistic target to him – but he’s got the potential to do it and he’s done it before.
“That’s why we base our thoughts on what he can do next year because we know what his capabilities are.
“We need to help him as much as he needs to help us.”