2 weeks Ago
GRAHAM Alexander reckons in-form Calum Kavanagh can learn from footballing greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo about always playing with a point to prove. The striker is flying high heading into tonight’s Valley Parade showdown with Notts County after scoring his first senior hat-trick. Kavanagh has hit six goals in the last five games to take his overall haul to 13 for the season.
“He’s in a good place,” said Alexander. “I felt he did the basics right in the Port Vale game although he didn’t score and those underpin everything you do as a player. “He set up the first goal against Crewe and then scored the second.
He’s had a part to play in the other goal on Saturday as well as getting his three and he could have had a fourth. “I think Kav was a little bit disappointed with not putting that one away as well. “He’s a young player that’s learning how to be available and do the right things for 50 games a season.
“If you haven’t experienced it before, you go through a process. I think he’s done that from the start of this season.” Kavanagh had a tough start to his first full campaign at the University of Bradford Stadium.
He was in and out the side and took until November to get off the mark. “He did really well in the half season when he came in and scored a fair amount for his appearances,” added Alexander. “I don’t know if that gave him a false sense of how difficult football is.
“Maybe he thought he’d just roll into the next season and it would happen again. But football’s not that easy. “I think he’s learned a lot of good lessons for a young player.
“What I do like is the fact that he has taken it on board and tried to make little changes here and there and picked up good habits. Hopefully that learning process will stand him in good stead.” Alexander believes the 21-year-old can also be inspired by the very best – citing legends Messi and Ronaldo as players still keen to prove their worth at the tail end of glittering careers.
Calum Kavanagh scored his first hat-trick against Swindon (Image: Tom Pearson) “I think you have to go through your whole career having a point to prove and trying to improve. “Look at Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the age they are. They’ve still got some points to prove – probably to each other.
“There is still a motivation that they need to keep doing it. “I’m not comparing Kav to them as players but showing seasoned campaigners that have been doing it for 20 years and continue to produce. “He’s understood how important some of the details are as a professional footballer, your preparation, your recovery and your focus.
“In the last couple of games, he’s got the rewards of that. He’s got hold of the ball, he’s laid it off, he’s been in the right positions, he’s pressed relentlessly for the team. “He’s on a good amount of goals so far and hopefully he can keep extending that from now to the end of the season.
” City have dealt with Andy Cook’s absence since the turn of the year and having a hungry Kavanagh leading the line will be crucial for the four-game race for automatic promotion. Alexander added: “I spoke to Kav about a month ago when he wasn’t in the team and getting game time. “I said the game was about numbers.
I’ve had this conversation with other forward players at other clubs where I’ve managed. “Ultimately, they will get judged on that and the only way to get good numbers is by being on the pitch as often as possible. “If you want to do that, you have to do a lot of good basics to keep you in the team.
“It’s a way of describing how important other details are before you start putting the ball in the back of the net. “It’s only a few games and Kav is nowhere near the finished article. He’s got to understand what underpins what keeps him in the team.
“His stats have been really good outside the goals in the last few games.”.
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