WILSON’S WAY
Motherwell kids can take leaf out of Callum’s book, says Tait
IN his days at The Lamb stadium, Tamworth and other assorted humble hotspots Richard Tait careered into countless young talents toiling to find their way in the game. Many were deposited down into non-league by higher-ranked clubs in order to learn a hard but most valuable lesson. That if they failed to augment their obvious ability with application and attitude then this anonymous life in the part-time reaches of football was the future.
Tait can well recall playing alongside Coventry City’s on-loan Callum Wilson in south Staffordshire in January 2012. He was reminded of the stint when Wilson was linked with a £50million move to Chelsea a few weeks ago.
Likewise when the Bournemouth striker, after a debut goal for England in November, referenced ‘hunger, desire and sacrifices’ as factors in his approach from non-league scrapping to Wembley scoring in seven years.
Tait brings up his link to one of the Premier League’s hottest forwards because, when he looks at the exciting trio of youngsters in Motherwell’s first team, he can’t help but conclude they are comparable to Wilson at 19.
Jake Hastie is the latest off the Fir Park conveyor belt to come good for the first team with four goals, including a spectacular effort against St Mirren last week, in five games.
David Turnbull and Allan Campbell have become regulars for a Stephen Robinson group with designs on playing top-six Premiership football this spring.
Tait explained: ‘I’ve played with a few good young players who have gone on to play in the Premier League and Callum Wilson at Tamworth was one example.
‘He was no different to the lads we’ve got here. No better, no worse. And now look at him — Chelsea were going to buy him for £50m-odd at one point. I’ve always taken an interest in how Callum done. He was a really good lad so it’s great to see guys like that get to the top level and score some good goals.
‘The young lads here are in a fantastic position to play football at the highest level then progress to the next level. It’s a great stage for them to play on. They’re lucky to be at a club like Motherwell.
‘I’ve seen so many guys with talent just fizzle out. It’s a mentally challenging game, you get so many knock-backs.
‘But it’s about keeping going and keeping believing in yourself. I’ve done that and got to this stage, something you think is maybe out of reach down south.
‘I saw guys with more talent than Wilson, great players, but the attitude wasn’t there to match their ability.’
Hastie spent last season with Airdrieonians in League One then the first half of this campaign at Alloa in the second tier before Robinson unleashed him on the top flight. Don’t expect to see the 19-year-old back in any ‘lower league’, though. Even his English suitors, such as Leeds and Norwich look like earning promotion to the Premier League for next season.
However, Tait advises Hastie to play as much for Motherwell as possible after toughening up in a harsher climate.
‘Hastie has gone out on loan and that’s the big thing for young lads like him,’ said Tait (right). ‘They go out there and grow up a bit.
‘He’s come back and you can see he’s kind of matured a bit, just by talking to him. And he’s obviously kicked on as a player because he’s maybe seen where he could be if he doesn’t put the hard work in.
‘Going on loan was good for Callum Wilson. It was Conference football for Kettering and Tamworth, going to some pretty horrible places. ‘In Scotland, parttime is only one division away. So Jake has seen it, come back in, taken his wake-up call and been fantastic. I’m sure he’ll continue it. ‘When I’m chatting to all the young lads, I try to make them understand what a fantastic opportunity they have to play first-team football at this level. ‘If they were down south, big clubs have hundreds of players and you have to be really lucky to play. So to get the chance to play for Motherwell, you have to take that with both hands.’
‘HE WAS NO DIFFERENT TO LADS WE HAVE HERE. NO BETTER OR NO WORSE’