Bright Osayi-Samuel has declared himself a 'new signing' for Birmingham City after a summer of intense fitness work, following a debut season that fell short of expectations. The right-back, who joined from Fenerbahce last year, is now fully fit and ready to make a significant impact in the Championship.
A Difficult First Season
Osayi-Samuel's initial campaign at St Andrew's was marred by inconsistency and injury. He started brightly with a Man of the Match display against Ipswich Town, but a late September injury sidelined him, allowing Tomoki Iwata to claim the right-back spot. Despite sporadic starts around the Africa Cup of Nations, where he impressed for Nigeria, Osayi-Samuel only truly regained his place in April.
Manager Chris Davies acknowledged the adaptation period, but Osayi-Samuel was more self-critical. Reflecting on his struggles, he admitted: "I had my own problems that I had to sort out in terms of my fitness. In the summer I had my own coaches to work on my fitness because I think that’s what really was the issue last season. I did my analysis of my games last season and my fitness was not where I would like it to be so I knew that was something I had to work on."
Summer Transformation
Determined to right the wrongs, Osayi-Samuel spent much of the seven-week break training diligently. He came through pre-season unscathed, unlike competitor Ethan Laird, and is set to start the Championship opener at Sheffield United. "I had my team and worked very hard to try to improve it. Then when I came back for pre-season, it was the same thing, to work as much as possible," he explained. "My position is very demanding, having to help the wingers and defend as well, so I know I need to work constantly."
This is his first full pre-season without injury, and he is already seeing improvements. "When I first signed I wasn’t 100 percent. This is my first full pre-season where I can say that I’m seeing improvements. Now I just have to bring that to the pitch," he said.
Tactical Evolution
Osayi-Samuel has also benefited from a shift in style under Davies. Blues are no longer forcing short passes at the back, instead opting to go long to avoid unnecessary mistakes. The expectations of his position have changed; last year he was expected to be everywhere in a physically demanding role, but Davies has simplified things.
With Carlos Vicente on the right wing, Osayi-Samuel needs less support in attack, allowing him to focus on defending. Few wingers are getting the better of him now. "In the Championship you have to have different styles," said Osayi-Samuel, who previously played in the division for Blackpool and QPR. "It’s all good trying to play but there will be games where we play bad, or not the game you would expect us to play, and as long as it gets us wins that’s the main thing. Being direct sometimes is the best route. We have very athletic players and players who are aggressive, so we try to bully teams and sometimes we have to do that."
Looking Ahead
With his fitness sorted and a clearer tactical role, Osayi-Samuel is poised to be a key figure for Birmingham City this season. His determination and new-found robustness could make him the 'new signing' Blues fans have been hoping for.
