Liam Manning has admitted the “pressure” on Yu Hirakawa will increase next season after Bristol City confirmed their intention to make the winger’s move to Ashton Gate permanent.
Hirakawa joined the Robins on loan from J-League side Machida Zelvia during the summer transfer window and has had a mixed start to his City career so far. Having impressed in his first few games, particularly with goals against Middlesbrough and Preston North End, the 24-year-old has only started two of the Reds’ last 10 matches in all competitions.
Despite a slight dip in form in recent months, the Robins confirmed in their squad update issued last week that they would be making the Japanese youth international’s stay in the West Country permanent in “the coming days”.
Having insisted just last week it wouldn’t have made sense for City to sign Hirakawa on loan and not make his move permanent, Manning admitted ahead of Sunday’s clash with Swansea City that the Reds’ plan for the winger had been in place throughout the season so far.
“It was something that was quite clear all the way along,” the head coach explained when discussing Hirakawa’s move in his pre-match press conference. “Working abroad probably helped me understand that it takes time for players to transition and settle. It’s a huge move for him, the language thing, he’s still on two English lessons a week which is progressing.
“Also, when you look at it, in his career he’s not played seven, or eight seasons. He’s still quite early on in his career so to come here off the back of a half-season in the J-League, it’s going to be an 18-month season for him. There’s also the energy, the freshness, that side of it that’s quite important so he’s done really well, he’s had a really good impact.”
With just 16 games left of the Championship season, City find themselves in the race for the play-off places. Ahead of this Sunday’s clash, the Reds sit ninth in the table, two points adrift of West Brom who occupy the final spot in the top six.
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This week sees Manning’s side play three matches in the space of just six days, with Stoke City next to visit Ashton Gate on Wednesday evening and a trip to South Wales to face Cardiff City in the Severnside derby to follow on Saturday lunchtime.
Although the pressure is well and truly on the players in the Robins’ camp to, at best, close the gap to the play-off places and at least, keep the pace with the top six, the City head coach believes Hirakawa’s circumstances mean that he should be cut some slack. However, having previously admitted it might not be until after the summer supporters see the best of the 24-year-old, he knows that more will be expected of the winger when next season rolls around.
“There’s probably a little bit less pressure on him at the minute, purely from the factors that I just spoke about, but he’s somebody that’s really exciting,” explained the 39-year-old. “I think when you look at it, the bits he has contributed have been excellent at times.
“I think it’s one of those, we want to push him for the last 16 to keep contributing, to keep increasing numbers in terms of goals and assists and then I think the pressure probably increases on him a little bit next season.”