The Whites’ loan star Burke maturing nicely

He is barely out of his teenage years but Phil Parkinson has an old head on young shoulders in Reece Burke.

The 20-year-old anchored the Whites’ back three in the cauldron of The Den and showed great poise and leadership way beyond his tender years.

Burke who, along with another White-hot prospect in Josh Cullen, is with the Wanderers squad on loan from West Ham United until the turn of the year. And they are really catching the eye as they continue their development.

While many will have been surprised it seems it is nothing less than Parkinson expected when he sent on a more-than able replacement for David Wheater in the opening-day defeat to Leeds.

“I’m pleased with Reece, he’s a player I’ve worked with before at Bradford,” he told The Bolton News.

“He adds something different to the team, so we were keen to bring him in, he’s got qualities, good pace which is important but also he’s got quality on the ball.

“But first and foremost he’s a defender and when he was called upon he defended well.”

Parkinson knew what he was getting in Burke, as he took him to Bradford City on loan two years ago. His faith in the youngster was repaid when he won the club’s player-of-the-year prize.

And he is not short on experience either, having played top-flight and Europa League football for his parent club as well as gaining England under-18, u19 and u20s caps.

So, despite him having had an injury-hit season with just 10 appearances for Wigan Athletic last time around, making the move to join up with him again was an easy decision for Parkinson.

“I had no doubts about Reece going in the centre at all. In that position in the middle of the back three it’s important to be a good communicator and he really is, and for a young man he’s showed really good leadership qualities so far,” he added.

Burke and his team-mates can expect another hard day’s night tonight at Birmingham City, with the aerial threat Harry Redknapp’s Blues possess.

And ahead of going up against one of the bigger clubs in the Championship Parkinson is relishing the challenge of once again pitting his wits against a manager he clearly has a great deal of respect for.

“It’s fantastic going to St Andrew’s, the lads are relishing it,” he said.

“There’s a spring in everyone’s step after getting the point at the weekend and now we want to go and build on it.

“The mentality will have to be right, it’ll be everyone doing their job for the team first and foremost and we’re going down there looking to give a good account of ourselves and send our travelling supporters back up the M6 in good spirits.

“They’re putting in long throws and they’re a big, powerful side and we’re going to have to be ready to stand up to that, we need to be conscious of their threat, and everyone needs to understand their role in the team, and know it’s going to be similar to Millwall, that type of game, strong and physical.

“Obviously they’re a team where Harry’s still looking to invest but he’s spent a few quid already.

“Harry always has time for everybody and he’s always been good to me as a younger manager, it’s good to see him back in the game. He’s a character who should be in the game because of his record and it will be good to lock horns with him and (assistant manager) Kevin Bond.

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Every day Parky is praising a different player for no reason.

If someone scores a hat-trick, dominates midfield, or creates a hatful of chances then by all means praise them.

If they play "ok" don't be praising them because it makes them think "ok" is the standard.

I should be managing this team, I'd soon sort them out.

Natasha Whittam wrote:Every day Parky is praising a different player for no reason.

There is of course a reason. It's PR 101. 
It could also be argued that in doing so he is giving the player confidence - so that's two reasons.

You may have noticed that the PR department select a different player every week to write an article about, loosely based on a random quote on e.g. a post-match interview, an alleged "ambition" or a vote of confidence in our prospects or manager. It's what they do and in the absence of any actual news they feel obliged to write something.

Parky should keep his mouth shut until a player does something worthy of praise.

If you praise someone for every little thing they do, they get a sense of entitlement. Just ask my Dad.

He's a 'star' is he?
 I thought that he was just a young footballer who can't cut it in his employers first team so he's shipped out on loan to learn his trade somewhere else. To me that makes him a trainee, an apprentice.
 He's not a 'star' - he's a long way from being that.
We've got no 'stars' at the Macron , just a bunch of journeymen

Well if he is nothing special I'm sure West Ham will extend his loan until the end of the season and then we'll pick him up on a free next summer, but I won't hold my breath. Can't comment on last night's game but he defended very well at Millwall against two forwards that love to give out a bit of treatment and know every trick in the book, despite being booked early on for what was, admittedly, a rash challenge.

Looks capable of playing in the top flight to me.

Attitudes like those shown on here are a surefire way of pissing the new players off. It doesn't matter how good they are, they're still settling in, and need encouragement. They're only young, and away from home. The last thing they need after 3 games, is criticism, direct or otherwise.

gloswhite wrote:Attitudes like those shown on here are a surefire way of pissing the new players off. It doesn't matter how good they are, they're still settling in, and need encouragement. They're only young, and away from home. The last thing they need after 3 games, is criticism, direct or otherwise.

When I was 17, and at the height of my modelling career, I was living out of hotels in Milan, New York, Bognor Regis and Paris. I didn't cry for my mummy because some nasty men called me names.

Stop defending these ponces.

True, but where there was nothing but admiration for you, they will go in front of thousands of people each week, and if they think half of them think they're crap, then they might just want their mummy.

You'll be familiar with all that pressure expecting you to be perfect, (we know you would have been), but they don't have your skills and assets