Bristol City boss Manning praises “quality” of young star Mehmeti

Daniel Wales and Charles Hague-Jones discuss Liam Manning’s praise of young player, Anis Mehmeti at Bristol City.

Transcript

00:00Dan, looking at Bristol City and their trajectory this season, they're obviously in and around

00:07just beneath that play-off moment, an area that they want to be competing in. We've mentioned

00:13whether they have the depth and the quality to break into that top six. It's really important

00:19that they are still pressing throughout this busy period and the remainder of this season

00:24to get there. Who could be the difference looking at their side? Obviously, the manager

00:30Liam Manning has praised Alice Mameti. He has had a good impact on this side, only 23

00:35years of age, Albanian. He's from one of those nations where you see the odd fantastic player

00:42come through, that sort of region of the world. This could be a little gem that they've got

00:48on their hands. Just in general, who's been their best standout player for the most

00:54of this season? Well, I think if we start with Mameti there, that's a really interesting

00:58one because he has been frustrated with the lack of game time he's had. In the win against

01:03Norwich City, when obviously he scored and helped set another one up, that was his first

01:06start in three games. Liam Manning, the Bristol City manager, he admitted that Mameti has

01:13been quite frustrated with the lack of game time he's had over the last few weeks. But

01:19when he's come into the side because of the injury to Mark Sykes, he's taken his chance.

01:23As I say, only 23 years old, his second goal in as many matches. He did score against Sheffield

01:28United with a penalty in the game before that. So Manning has said, yes, he's got to be patient,

01:35but there's clearly quality there. I think that's what's really important. Obviously,

01:41I mentioned that you've got Mark Sykes, who's had a decent season and he will come back

01:46from injury in the not so distant future as well. So that gives competition to Mameti

01:50having already claimed his chance. So when it comes to what Mameti said a few weeks ago

01:55as well, in terms of depth in the team and they being good enough to challenge, you could

02:00argue that they do certainly have that. But I think Mameti certainly is the one that you

02:05need to be looking at this season. As I say, as you said as well, only 23 years old and

02:09taking the chances when they come to him in such a tough league that the championship

02:12because of course, we know it's a league where, you know, some players and some teams get

02:17bogged down with how tough and how physical they can be. And you just need sort of that

02:21little bit of quality that can help you stand out and shine. And clearly this young lad

02:25has got it. Coming from a country like Albania, as you say that, Perisic is the odd gem in

02:30a few. And he's come to this country and he's playing for a decent side in Bristol City

02:37who are doing all right in the championship this season. And so I think a lot of people

02:42in Bristol, including the manager, will be happy he's taken a chance. And then when it

02:46comes to having the injuries who are injured players who do come back, the competition

02:50that that provides then could see Bristol City certainly power up the league in the

02:54next few weeks. But as I said in another time as well, it is consistency that might hamper

02:58them a little bit.