The Tigers’ playmaker cut a frustrated figure after being hauled off at the break against PNE last week
Former Premier League footballer David Prutton says Kasey Palmer has to take the weekend’s difficulties on the chin and prove to Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic that he’s worthy of winning his place back.
Palmer was initially left out of the squad that beat Sheffield United 1-0 on Saturday following his half-time withdrawal against Preston North End on Tuesday, but after Kyle Joseph called in sick on the morning of the game against the Blades, the 28-year-old could have been on the bench.
As it was, Jakirovic said Palmer wasn’t ready to play and therefore, the Tigers named eight of the possible nine substitutes before questioning the Jamaican international’s attitude in an honest assessment of his feelings.
Prutton, though, says such spells can happen in a player’s career, and it’s important he looks to win back his manager’s trust when he returns from international duty later this month.
“You’ve gotta take it on the chin because not everyone’s gonna play every single minute, not everyone’s gonna play wonderfully well for every single minute they’re on the pitch, and Kasey might have just found himself in this little period, which is tough as a footballer; he might think he’s been a bit of a scapegoat,” Prutton told the 1904 Club podcast.
“We’re not looking at the Preston game and going, City got done seven (nil) and they were terrible, and someone’s never gonna play again. They were crap for 45 minutes, they changed it, got something from the game, well done the manager, well done the players coming on and making an impact, doesn’t shut the door on Kasey Palmer being in City’s first 11, at all.
“Just a little bump in the road, and again, maybe that’s the benefit of hindsight. When you’re in that, because your game, your position in the team is the most important thing in your head, because you have to be very selfish, to be a footballer, which is ironic given the fact that it’s a team game.
“But I’d like to think that maybe he puts his head above this, takes a breath, and realises it’s not the manager going after Kasey to say, ‘It’s your fault that this might have happened.’
“You just get periods of that in a playing career, in a season, and in a few games. Maybe if he had a bigger bank of consistency behind him over a longer period of time, then the manager’s gaze might not fall on him when it comes to changing, just the way it is.
“Lewie’s (Coyle) a great example, being in and out of the team at times, Regan (Slater), same thing. Not one of those City players is, and I’d even probably chuck Oli (McBurnie) into this, even though he’s doing amazingly well; no one is irreplaceable, absolutely no one in this, by virtue of the team and where the club finds itself in, in that middle core of the Championship. The reason they’re there is that they have players who aren’t irreplaceable, and there’s a bit of inconsistency to it.
“He’s just found himself there, and the only way you get back to it, and it’ll never change, is work hard, good attitude, say yes to everything that the manager wants you to do, show willing to get back into it, don’t throw your toys out the pram, and again, Kasey, if he listens to this, that’s the approach I would take, away from potentially whatever may be going on with him personally, from a professional point of view, those fundamentals will never change.”
You can listen to the full episode of the 1904 Club via the links below….
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