Sean Dyche Burnley
Nottingham Forest’s winger Dilane Bakwa marked his return from a hamstring injury by playing an hour for the Reds’ B Team against Benfica on Wednesday night. The 23-year-old, who joined Forest from Strasbourg for a reported £30 million fee on transfer deadline day in September, has only made six first-team appearances so far. With Sean Dyche recently taking over the managerial reins from Ange Postecoglou, Bakwa’s integration into the team remains a work in progress.
Sean Dyche said: “We’ll see. He is another one who has been brought in for (big) money, but that doesn’t bring any guarantees. He is still young, he has been injured and he is still learning. He is going alright at the minute. We will see how he goes.”
Bakwa’s situation mirrors that of his teammate Omari Hutchinson, who has also had to wait for his opportunity since joining Forest. On Wednesday night, Hutchinson made his first Premier League start for the Reds since his £37.5m move from Ipswich Town. He capitalized on his chance by assisting Igor Jesus for the only goal in Forest’s 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.
Sean Dyche said of Hutchinson: “When we got here, he just looked like he was still finding his feet around the group as a person. He just seems to have freed up a bit. We had a chat with him and told him to forget about the fee. He is still a young player who is learning. He has had one main season in the Premier League, so that doesn’t mean you’ve got every answer – and you don’t need to have every answer. I told him to keep training right and keep believing. He has been doing that. I assured him he has a future here. I just said it doesn’t have to be this second, with everyone clambering for everything. I have also said everyone presumes nowadays that because someone has spent money, it must be a brilliant player. But it doesn’t mean they are now; they might develop into being brilliant players, but it doesn’t mean they have to be this second just because there was a big fee.”
The emphasis on patience and development reflects the broader challenges faced by young players in the Premier League, especially those who arrive with hefty price tags. As Bakwa works towards full fitness and integration into the first team, his progress will be closely monitored by Forest fans and management alike. Meanwhile, Hutchinson’s recent performance serves as a testament to the potential rewards of perseverance and belief in one’s abilities.
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