Alex Cochrane has revealed how a four-month injury lay-off last season proved a “blessing in disguise” as he has returned to Birmingham City’s starting line-up with renewed vigour and a new attacking dimension to his game.
The 26-year-old left-back, who missed the second half of last season with a foot injury exacerbated by overuse, has seamlessly filled the void created by Kai Wagner’s shock return to Philadelphia Union. Cochrane has started the new campaign in impressive form, delivering the free-kick that led to August Priske’s winner at Swansea and providing a constant threat down the left flank.
A New Lease of Life
“Looking back on the injury now it was actually a blessing in disguise for myself to recover, regroup and feel good again,” Cochrane said, speaking to the media at Blues’ training ground before the team’s first home game of the season against Bristol City. “I had the off-season and I’m feeling good within myself, my body and ready to go.”
His return has been marked by a change in tactical approach. Instead of inverting into central defence and midfield as he did previously, Cochrane is now marauding forward down the left, whipping in crosses and combining with the wingers. One of his deliveries against Sheffield United could easily have been converted by Paik Seung-ho inside the six-yard box.
“It comes with the change in style but I enjoy going forward as much as I enjoy defending,” Cochrane added. “Whatever the gaffer wants for the game with the tactics, I’m happy to do, but I do enjoy getting up and down, putting balls in and having combinations with the wingers.”
Consistency and Professionalism
Chris Davies, Birmingham’s manager, has been full of praise for Cochrane’s start to the season. “I’m happy, impressed, but not surprised. Alex is one of the players that’s played the most football for me since I’ve been here. He’s as solid as they come as a professional,” Davies said.
In his two seasons at Birmingham, Cochrane has been a model of consistency, rarely dropping below a seven out of 10 and almost never giving Davies reason to leave him out. He battled through the first 18 months of his Blues career without competition in the left-back position due to Lee Buchanan’s injury woes, before Wagner was brought in when Cochrane’s body gave in.
The former Hearts man contributed four assists last season, plus a thunderous volley against Millwall that claimed Blues’ in-house Goal of the Season award. “I hit a little bit of a purple patch and it’s (assists) something you always want in your game as a full-back, whether that’s from set pieces or crosses, it’s always good when you see one of your teammates get on the end of it,” he said.
“Then goals as well, if I can pop up with a few goals. The gaffer said in pre-season that we need players in multiple positions to come up with a few goals and if that’s me from left-back, I’ll be happy to contribute.”
Adapting to the Championship
Cochrane candidly admitted that last season was a learning curve. “There were a few tough games last season for myself but I think that’s just me adjusting to the league and the players you come up against,” he said. “It was my first experience in the Championship and it helped me see what each game is like and there’s no easy game. You see that from the first week, even the boys coming down and up from League One, there’s no easy game.
“We’ve got to go into every game knowing it’s going to be a fight and a battle to start off with, then we know the quality we’ve got in the changing room is good enough to beat a lot of teams as well.”
With Buchanan and new signing Kristoffer Lund providing competition, Cochrane knows his performance levels can’t afford to dip, but he now looks every inch the competent Championship full-back Davies thought he would become. That afternoon in Stoke last September, when Million Manhoef had Cochrane rattled, feels like a distant memory.
“I feel like I have a new lease of life this season. It’s a fresh start and I’m ready to give it a good go,” Cochrane said.
Birmingham have flown under the radar this summer in a league that includes teams more used to competing in Europe, plus a number of big-spenders. However, as their early results have shown, they are more than equipped to compete. “We know how good our squad is but we’ve got to go and prove it on a Saturday and a Tuesday, that’s when it matters. The togetherness is there, the willingness is there, we’re hopeful for a good season but we know it’s not going to be easy,” Cochrane concluded.
