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From United bad boy to reformed Hammer? Ravel bidding to prove doubters wrong after turmoil with teeth and Twitter
By Simon Cass
PUBLISHED: 06:54 EST, 9 August 2013 | UPDATED: 08:00 EST, 9 August 2013 22 shares
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This time last year West Ham winger Ravel Morrison was undergoing emergency dental surgery to have seven teeth removed.
Fast forward 12 months and Morrison has spent pre-season sinking his new gnashers, metaphorically speaking, into opposition defences.
The appalling state of Morrison’s dental hygiene represented yet another example of how the precocious talent conducted his life on the pitch.
Twitter turmoil: West Ham winger Ravel Morrison was fined £7,000 by the FA for posting a homophobic slur on the social networking site
Talented: West Ham United's Ravel Morrison has enjoyed a good pre-season for the club
For all the playing plaudits he had amassed during his time in Manchester United’s youth team, a period which earned him comparisons with none other than Paul Scholes, it was the criminal record which forced West Ham manager Sam Allardyce to admit he was taking a massive gamble by bringing Morrison to Upton Park in a deal which could rise to £2.5million.
In fairness to Morrison, formative family strife and his tough upbringing on a council estate in Wythenshawe, south Manchester, did little to provide him with an ideal grounding.
Even so, convictions for witness intimidation and criminal damage, for throwing his girlfriend’s mobile phone out of a window, do not make pleasant reading. Neither does being fined £7,000 by the FA for posting a homophobic slur on Twitter.
Indeed, if relying on his God given football talent was going to provide Morrison with his best chance of leaving a troubled past well and truly behind him then it appears to have taken the 20-year-old too long to realise precisely that.
Young gun: Morrison came through the ranks at Manchester United and drew comparisons with Paul Scholes
Farmed out on loan to Birmingham City last season, manager Lee Clark came close to sending him back to Upton Park three months into the spell such was his exasperation at Morrison’s attitude problems.
But during his time at St Andrews, there were early signs that the penny was finally starting to drop for a player who has represented England at Under 16’s, 17’s and 18’s level. Clark made headway in getting through to Morrison who eventually made 30 appearances for Birmingham last season, scoring three goals.
He has continued that form upon his return to Upton Park, finding the net on five occasions for his parent club in preseason.
On the subject of parents, that footballing father figure Kevin Nolan - who has had Andy Carroll under his wing for most of the long-haired hitman’s career - is ready to provide the same service for Morrison this season.
Father figure: Kevin Nolan (left) has helped Andy Carroll (right) during his career and will do the same for Morrison
‘The lad has got ability,’ said Nolan recently. ‘It was all the off-field stuff and his mental attitude to the game and I think he has come back with a renewed approach.
‘Speaking to Lee Clark when I’ve had the chance to, he said he really worked hard with him and towards the end of last season he really had him on board.
‘Hopefully now this will be the start of what is going to be a fantastic career for him, because as you can see he has great ability and can score goals too.
I’m going to help him as much as I can this season, talking to him on the pitch and off the pitch. If he can get it all right, he’ll be a top player for years to come.’
The transformation in Morrison has also been noted by West Ham assistant manager Neil McDonald.
In charge: Birmingham manager Lee Clark (right), pictured with Hull boss Steve Bruce, says Morrison worked hard for him last season
‘He’s settled in and he’s come back a different player,’ said McDonald. ‘I think it’s done him the world of good going to Birmingham to play some games. He came as a young kid from Man United thinking that he could walk straight into the first team and sometimes that doesn’t happen.
‘He hadn’t played games on a regular basis in the first team so it was good for him to go to Birmingham and train all week knowing that he had a chance of playing. He’s used that to his advantage and hopefully it’s to our advantage as well.’
Time will tell, and having already proved too much of a handful for Sir Alex Ferguson, Morrison still has a long way to go if he is to demonstrate to Allardyce he is ready for regular Premier League action.
Morrison’s skill with the ball at his feet is not in question, but a good attitude and application on the training pitch are what is required if Allardyce is to be convinced Morrison has finally turned the corner.
A big test will be see how Morrison copes with being on the fringes of the first team in the early games - the most likely scenario as Allardyce looks to build on a successful return to the top flight last season.
Will need convincing: If Morrison applys himself in training then West Ham boss Sam Allardyce will give him his chance
Of continued concern is whether Morrison can remain patient while waiting for his chance and ensure his manager has tough selection decision to make by his performances on the training pitch and his behaviour off it.
Preseason is one thing but the stresses and strains of a Premier League campaign are quite another. And although he has been handed the No 15 shirt for the coming campaign – which will bear the name Ravel on the back rather than his surname - it may be that Allardyce feels one more loan spell may be required for Morrison to demonstrate he has finally woken up to the fact his natural ability is not the be all and end all.
The signs are promising that, with the help of such experienced football figures as Clark, Nolan and Allardyce, Morrison has indeed learned the lessons – albeit the hard way.
If he has, he may just get the chance to flash his pearly whites should he get off the mark in the Premier League this season.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz2bUCKcJT9
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By Simon Cass
PUBLISHED: 06:54 EST, 9 August 2013 | UPDATED: 08:00 EST, 9 August 2013 22 shares
7
View
comments
This time last year West Ham winger Ravel Morrison was undergoing emergency dental surgery to have seven teeth removed.
Fast forward 12 months and Morrison has spent pre-season sinking his new gnashers, metaphorically speaking, into opposition defences.
The appalling state of Morrison’s dental hygiene represented yet another example of how the precocious talent conducted his life on the pitch.
Twitter turmoil: West Ham winger Ravel Morrison was fined £7,000 by the FA for posting a homophobic slur on the social networking site Talented: West Ham United's Ravel Morrison has enjoyed a good pre-season for the clubFor all the playing plaudits he had amassed during his time in Manchester United’s youth team, a period which earned him comparisons with none other than Paul Scholes, it was the criminal record which forced West Ham manager Sam Allardyce to admit he was taking a massive gamble by bringing Morrison to Upton Park in a deal which could rise to £2.5million.
In fairness to Morrison, formative family strife and his tough upbringing on a council estate in Wythenshawe, south Manchester, did little to provide him with an ideal grounding.
Even so, convictions for witness intimidation and criminal damage, for throwing his girlfriend’s mobile phone out of a window, do not make pleasant reading. Neither does being fined £7,000 by the FA for posting a homophobic slur on Twitter.
Indeed, if relying on his God given football talent was going to provide Morrison with his best chance of leaving a troubled past well and truly behind him then it appears to have taken the 20-year-old too long to realise precisely that.
Young gun: Morrison came through the ranks at Manchester United and drew comparisons with Paul ScholesFarmed out on loan to Birmingham City last season, manager Lee Clark came close to sending him back to Upton Park three months into the spell such was his exasperation at Morrison’s attitude problems.
But during his time at St Andrews, there were early signs that the penny was finally starting to drop for a player who has represented England at Under 16’s, 17’s and 18’s level. Clark made headway in getting through to Morrison who eventually made 30 appearances for Birmingham last season, scoring three goals.
He has continued that form upon his return to Upton Park, finding the net on five occasions for his parent club in preseason.
On the subject of parents, that footballing father figure Kevin Nolan - who has had Andy Carroll under his wing for most of the long-haired hitman’s career - is ready to provide the same service for Morrison this season.
Father figure: Kevin Nolan (left) has helped Andy Carroll (right) during his career and will do the same for Morrison‘The lad has got ability,’ said Nolan recently. ‘It was all the off-field stuff and his mental attitude to the game and I think he has come back with a renewed approach.
‘Speaking to Lee Clark when I’ve had the chance to, he said he really worked hard with him and towards the end of last season he really had him on board.
‘Hopefully now this will be the start of what is going to be a fantastic career for him, because as you can see he has great ability and can score goals too.
I’m going to help him as much as I can this season, talking to him on the pitch and off the pitch. If he can get it all right, he’ll be a top player for years to come.’
The transformation in Morrison has also been noted by West Ham assistant manager Neil McDonald.
In charge: Birmingham manager Lee Clark (right), pictured with Hull boss Steve Bruce, says Morrison worked hard for him last season‘He’s settled in and he’s come back a different player,’ said McDonald. ‘I think it’s done him the world of good going to Birmingham to play some games. He came as a young kid from Man United thinking that he could walk straight into the first team and sometimes that doesn’t happen.
‘He hadn’t played games on a regular basis in the first team so it was good for him to go to Birmingham and train all week knowing that he had a chance of playing. He’s used that to his advantage and hopefully it’s to our advantage as well.’
Time will tell, and having already proved too much of a handful for Sir Alex Ferguson, Morrison still has a long way to go if he is to demonstrate to Allardyce he is ready for regular Premier League action.
Morrison’s skill with the ball at his feet is not in question, but a good attitude and application on the training pitch are what is required if Allardyce is to be convinced Morrison has finally turned the corner.
A big test will be see how Morrison copes with being on the fringes of the first team in the early games - the most likely scenario as Allardyce looks to build on a successful return to the top flight last season.
Will need convincing: If Morrison applys himself in training then West Ham boss Sam Allardyce will give him his chanceOf continued concern is whether Morrison can remain patient while waiting for his chance and ensure his manager has tough selection decision to make by his performances on the training pitch and his behaviour off it.
Preseason is one thing but the stresses and strains of a Premier League campaign are quite another. And although he has been handed the No 15 shirt for the coming campaign – which will bear the name Ravel on the back rather than his surname - it may be that Allardyce feels one more loan spell may be required for Morrison to demonstrate he has finally woken up to the fact his natural ability is not the be all and end all.
The signs are promising that, with the help of such experienced football figures as Clark, Nolan and Allardyce, Morrison has indeed learned the lessons – albeit the hard way.
If he has, he may just get the chance to flash his pearly whites should he get off the mark in the Premier League this season.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz2bUCKcJT9
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