James Beadle knew exactly what he was getting into when signing for Blues on a season loan from Brighton & Hove Albion.
He was told there were no guarantees about a starting spot in goal – and was absolutely fine about it.
It’s a testament to his character that he was prepared to battle it out with Blues established number one, Ryan Allsop, says Chris Davies.
Beadle could well make his debut for Blues in tonight’s Carabao Cup first round tie at home to Sheffield United (kick-off 8pm).
Davies rotated the goalkeeper position last season in the cups.
Regardless, Beadle felt Blues was the right move at this stage of his career – an agreement coming before he helped England win the Under-21 European Championship in Slovakia.
“With James, I think a template that we followed along was the same path as last season, which was essentially two number ones,” said Davies.
“Hence, that’s why no one has the number one on their back because I really feel in that competition, if there’s a bigger disparity between one and two, you can get caught short.
“I like two strong goalkeepers to compete for the shirt and also make sure that we’ve got a one in reserve ready to go.
“James in particular had a fantastic tournament with the 21s, everyone knows.
“He’s big, commanding, good on crosses. He’s a great size to come for set pieces. He’s calm with his feet, has been educated and developed to play out from the back. He makes big saves.
“With James what I saw in him was a really top young goalkeeper who’s on the path, hopefully, to developing into one of the very best. Anyone whose playing for the England Under-21s, you’d hope that they could play for the actual England first team.
“He did really well at Sheffield Wednesday on loan in difficult circumstances last season. He kept them in games, because he can make the big saves.
“He’s obviously up against Ryan, which I told him about when he joined. Ryan’s a goalkeeper that has got huge credit in the bank here because of the season he had, and the presence he has in the goal with his personality alone.
“James came in with a clear mind that he was going to go and compete and try to earn that shirt, basically.
“I think James saw the club and thought it felt like it was the next step for him. You know, being where he was previously. I think he thought, ‘yeah, this is the right feel for me, the right fit for me’.
“And that self-confidence to say, ‘no, I can go in and try and earn the shirt’. It says a lot about the player. I’ve got no doubt that he’s going to be an important player for us this season.”
Bailey Peacock-Farrell began last season between the sticks for Blues before Allsop usurped him and went on to win the League One Golden Glove. Peacock-Farrell is now on a season loan at Blackpool.
Davies revealed that he spoke to former Blues coach and England national coach Ashley Cole about Beadle’s credentials, as well as Lee Carsley, the ex-Blues player, coach and young Three Lions leader.
“I was really impressed with a reference that I got there (from the pair) and having seen him play, everything that he is about was really exciting for me. It was a big coup getting someone like him in.”
Davies could well make a fair few other changes this evening, given that Blues are in a three-game week and the physical demands alone on his players need to be carefully monitored.
The amount and intensity of work the starters got through against Ipswich Town in the Championship opener was huge.
And it’s also why Davies is more often than not likely to use all five substitutes allowed every match.
“Pretty much every game I’ve had as a manager, I’ve already planned two or three changes in the game anyway that I think will be necessary for energy levels and I must always use five substitutes, pretty much every game we play as well.
“That’s something that I’m always conscious of because I want the team to play with so much intensity that if you just can’t do it, especially the frontline players – they can’t press and press and press and sort of run behind for 90 minutes – you do need to freshen them up.”
