These are desperate times at Blackpool. Bottom of the Championship with a mere four wins from 34 games. They are destined for the drop and the fans of the North West side know it. But when they need all their players fighting and giving 100% it is not surprising to hear that they have binned youngster Islam Feruz from their side and sent him back to Chelsea.
Just over a month ago, the Chelsea striker was farmed out on loan to the Championship side to gain much-needed first team experience, but this week the former Scotland youth player left following on and off field issues – three months earlier than it should have.
Back in August 2011, we exclusively broke the news that Feruz was ditching Celtic for the glitz, the glamour and the money of Chelsea.
But despite so much promise and so much talent, it looks like his arrogance and attitude have once again got in the way of the Somali-born player reaching his full potential.
Since his move, Feruz has failed to make a single appearance for Chelsea despite other Under-21 players breaking through under Jose Mourinho.
Earlier this season the striker was sent out on loan to OFI Crete where he played a mere 28 minutes in the 3-0 defeat to Olympiakos. And at Blackpool he played just 16 minutes for the Tangerines spread over two games including the 7-2 defeat to Watford at the end of January.
Blackpool manager Lee Clark, commenting on Feruz’s return to Chelsea, said: “It hasn’t worked out for him here for one reason or another. We are looking to send him back as it hasn’t happened for him here.
“It’s not about your background, it’s the way you perform in training and off the field which gives you a place in the team.”
It was well-known that the striker’s ego and attitude both in the changing room and on the training pitch made him somewhat unpopular when he was in Scotland, but it seems that he simply can’t shake off his own belief that he is better than what he actually is.
At the time of leaving Celtic, Feruz’s agent Rui Alves commented: “It is a massive step for Islam and for Scottish football. Now for him personally it is the beginning of a major adventure, he will have to work, work and work and raise his own level. Playing for a top club like Chelsea, where the major word in the squad is quality, will oblige him to show his own quality and deliver his best and convince the staff that he is more than just a major prospect.”
With the wealth of talent at Chelsea’s disposal, the 19 year old’s time at Stamford Bridge surely must be coming to an end sooner rather than later, ending up on the scrapheap far away from the limelight that he coveted so much.
He may have turned his back on his adopted homeland, but if he had actually put the work in to his game then he would be rated as a quality player rather than known merely as a talentED player with a huge attitude problem.
Source: http://www.scotzine.com
