Stephen Carr sends positive message to Birmingham City man amid first-team struggles | OneFootball

Stephen Carr has told Birmingham City's Marc Leonard to keep working hard as he tries to win a place in the first XI.

Former Birmingham City captain Stephen Carr has urged Marc Leonard to stay patient as he looks to win back a place in the first XI under Chris Davies.

There was a lot of excitement when Blues signed the midfielder in the summer from Brighton, as he had excelled out on loan with Northampton over the past few years. Plus, a host of clubs were linked with Leonard before he moved to St. Andrew’s.

However, Leonard has found himself down the pecking order for much of the season, as fellow summer recruit Tomoki Iwata has formed a brilliant partnership alongside Paik Seung-ho as Blues battle to win promotion from League One.

Stephen Carr sends Marc Leonard supportive message

That’s not to say that Leonard hasn’t contributed, with the 22-year-old showing his quality in the final half hour on Saturday as Blues came from behind to beat Barnsley.

But, he’s certainly not getting the game time he would’ve expected, yet Carr explained that Leonard needs to keep working hard, as things can change very quickly in football.

"It’s tough," he said, via William Hill. "You just have to keep working at your game, take your chance when it comes, and go from there. If you are putting it in, giving your all, then it’s a case of going to the powers at be and suggesting it’s time to move on. You could get injuries, so you have to be ready."

Marc Leonard can be a big player for Birmingham City

This is the right approach from Carr, and, as an ex-professional, he knows exactly how things can be for younger players.

When Blues signed Leonard, it wasn’t all about this season. At 22, he is someone who was signed with the future in mind, and he still has plenty of time to make his mark on the team.

The reality is that both Paik and Iwata have been outstanding this season, so Leonard is having to bide his time, but he proved on Saturday that he can help change the game.

As Carr says, injuries happen, and we’re now heading into the busiest period of the campaign, meaning Davies will need to rotate his squad, so players on the fringes will get chances. That’s why Blues invested so much in the summer, and there will be a belief that they have enough depth to cope with the demanding schedule.

Blues are back in action on Tuesday night when they travel to Exeter in the EFL Trophy, before resuming League One action against Bristol Rovers this weekend.