Siriki Dembele has two options left after missing out on Birmingham City

Siriki Dembele should return to Birmingham City next week with a point to prove – not just to new manager Chris Davies but also to the supporters he flattered to deceive last season.

Many who lined the terraces at St Andrew’s last season would be happy to see the backs of most of the players Davies inherited. But that’s rarely possible and it would be wrong if everyone who got the Blues relegated suddenly jumped the gun. They should stick around to clean up the mess.

Dembele only started one game in the last three months of last season, so it is difficult to lay the blame at his door. However, why Dembele was overlooked does not reflect well on the 27-year-old.

John Eustace worked around Dembele and created a system that allowed him to thrive with minimal defensive responsibility. Wayne Rooney didn’t quite give him that level of freedom, but he regularly picked the Ivorian.

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It was on the watch of Tony Mowbray and Mark Venus where cracks began to appear and Dembele lost his place in the team. In fact, Mowbray publicly called out Dembele for his application in training after less than a week in the job.

Speaking in January, Mowbray said: “I called him in for a one-on-one because I was a bit concerned in one of the early training sessions that he didn’t want to run. His first comment to me was that he liked to save energy when he had the ball and could damage opponents. I’m like, ‘That’s not going to work mate, so we’re going to play 10 men when you don’t have it and then you come alive when we win it?'”

A 59-minute limp at Hull City in early March, when Dembele was dispossessed six times according to WhoScored, proved to be his last start of 2023/24. Venus, who was replacing Mowbray until now, did not use Dembele anymore.

Incoming caretaker boss Gary Rowett toyed with the idea of ​​starting Dembele when the Blues needed inspiration in the final games of the season. Still, he couldn’t get over his obvious confidence issues.

In April, Rowett said: “I’ve seen him over the years, he’s such a talented player. I think when he matches the energy and the work rate and the determination, then he could be close to unstoppable in this division. It’s about making sure we get that. If I’m not sure, I’ll always go with someone I see every day doing it.”

Dembele is one of the quieter members of the squad and is not one to hang out on the training ground to socialize once it’s home time. That is his prerogative. Ivan Sunjic rarely lingered either and was praised for being one of the best coaches in last season’s squad.

Davies will judge his character on and off the training pitch. The new manager was given the knowledge of each member of his team by the employees who monitored their behavior last season.

While Davies has all the information, he will make his own decision based on how Dembele applies. There is an understanding from Davies that the environment can influence how players behave.

If Dembele wants a future with the Blues then he has to fight for it. This preseason he needs to sweat for the cause before showing us the skills that made us fall in love with him last fall.

Let’s face it, Dembele shouldn’t be in League 1. The last time he was, he scored 21 goals in 42 games for Peterborough United. But the Blues shouldn’t be in third gear either, let’s not forget that.

If Dembele is not ready to prove people wrong, then the Blues should let him go. This pre-season really is make or break.

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