It’s not very often people are
given a second chance in life. Occasionally individuals have the capacity to
excel, but are tainted by demons. Sometimes things do go wrong and that chance
to put things right is gratefully received and grasped with both hands. That’s
exactly what is happening at the moment with West Ham midfielder Ravel
Morrison.
After years of hitting the
headlines for all the wrong reasons, he wrote them himself with that incredible solo goal against
Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane recently. Add to that his performance for
the England Under-21s this week, in which he scored two goals in a 5-0 drubbing
over Lithuania, and you have a lot of plaudits gushing over the 20 year old.
The only thing that stands in
Morrison’s way is him. He does himself no favours. Despite the sparkling
display during that 5-0 victory he attracted negative attention again, this
time for having an on-pitch bust-up with England team-mate Wilfried Zaha.
Having a fiery temperament is all well and good, it’s learning to control and
channel it in a positive and constructive way - that behaviour certainly
doesn’t belong on the football pitch.
Morrison’s history is well
documented. He began his career in football after being scouted for Manchester
United’s Academy, making his first team debut in October 2010 in the League
Cup. He made appearances in the FA Youth Cup too, scoring twice in the final to
ensure United’s 6-3 aggregate win over Sheffield United. Despite his promise,
appearances were few and far between and any capability wasn’t allowed to
flourish due to his extra-curricular activities.
His delinquency came to light and
inevitably detracted from his potential. A previous caution for common assault
in 2008 was added to when Morrison pleaded guilty to two attempts of witness
intimidation in 2011. Add to that a conviction for criminal damage to his
girlfriend’s phone and an assault charge that was dropped because his
girlfriend refused to testify (potential
intimidation eh Ravel?) and you’ve got a pretty condemning combination of
misdemeanours. A blasé attitude to
training- when and if he decided to turn up- and shoddy timekeeping all harmed
his reputation too.
Initially despite the incidents,
former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson decided to stick with Morrison. He
could see the potential and knew the midfielder had the skills and ability to
succeed. But in January 2012 the Scot reluctantly let him go to West Ham for an
undisclosed fee (and a contract
stipulating the Hammers pay United £25,000 every time the player is started for
the first team) on a three-and-a-half-year deal in an attempt to salvage
his career, giving the youngster a chance of escaping the poisonous
off-the-pitch environment he was caught up in. Relocating to East London was a
golden opportunity for the Mancunian to gain focus without distractions.
Morrison made his debut for the
Hammers on March 17 2012 as a substitute during the side’s 1-1 draw against
Leeds United at Elland Road. For the 2012-13 season, manager Sam Allardyce
decided to send the player on loan to Championship club Birmingham City to gain
further experience. At first the attitude and punctuality issues continued and
it was only after a heart-to-heart with Blues’ manager Lee Clark that an
improvement was noticed. Clark recognised the talent instantly, but insisted
that his persistence proved dividends and is credited widely with the change in
the youngster’s mindset. He played 27 games during his loan spell, scoring
three goals.
The midfielder has since returned
to the Boleyn Ground for the 2013-14 season. Wearing the claret and blue with
‘Ravel’ on the back, it seems the proverbial leaf may have been turned by
Morrison. Rejuvenated and revitalised, he scored his first goal on his first
full debut in the second round of the League Cup against Cheltenham Town, a
game that West Ham won 2-1. Another start and another goal, his first in the
Premier League, this time against Everton in a 2-3 home defeat. As for the Tottenham
Hotspur game…his much-lauded goal was a moment of individual brilliance. It was
a clear demonstration of the talent and composure that Morrison possesses, in
abundance, and rocketed him further into the spotlight.
Time is on his side: he’s only 20
years old and undoubtedly has the best years of his career ahead of him. When I
met him in late 2012 he was one of the rudest footballers I’d had the
displeasure to come across, second only to somebody who’ll remain anonymous (but ironically notorious). It’s his
attitude and temperament - and how he manages his demons – that will define
him. With whispers of a full England call-up if the form and progress
continues, it’s no wonder that Ferguson had a few words of wisdom for Allardyce
when parting with Morrison.
“I hope you can sort him out because if you can he will
be a genius.”
A gift or a curse, only time will
tell.
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