Birmingham City’s rollercoaster of a season climax under Lee Bowyer has stood Rekeem Harper in good stead as he leaves St Andrew’s and returns to parent club West Bromwich Albion. Midfielder Harper left The Hawthorns and made for Wast Hills in the January transfer window to help Blues salvage their campaign amid the threat of relegation – they eventually did so with ease, thanks in no small part to the appointment and impact of Bowyer. Harper, 21, played 18 matches for Blues in the second half of the season and battling through those difficult times – particularly under Bowyer’s predecessor Aitor Karanka – is an experience that he feels he’s all the better for having come through.
Rakeem Harper said: “When you playing for West Brom in the Championship, it’s like playing for Manchester City. The players are always going to be confident, but with Birmingham, when I arrived they had lost a few games so the confidence had taken a knock. When we were losing games, you felt like things were on egg-shells. Players were less confident and you could feel it in the group. You never know when you might win your next game, you might need a bit of luck or what not. You had that feeling that you didn’t know when you were going to win your next game, but you have to be ready, you have to switch it on quickly and do your job for the team to help them win games. I learnt a lot there. Hopefully it’s going to stand me in good stead in my career.”
Harper wasn’t going to Blues totally blind. His friend and former Albion teammate Jonathan Leko had signed for the club last summer on a permanent basis, and he discussed the loan with Leko before completing his move. Speaking more generally, Harper was effusive in his praise for the Blues dressing room and indicated that their welcoming of him into their collective allowed him to hit the ground running.
Rakeem Harper added: “I spoke to Leko before I went, because he’d been there for a few months. He said it’s a very good club and I’d get opportunities there. All the players there were so nice and welcoming, from the first day I felt at ease. There’s a mixture of young players and experienced players who have been there and done it. That’s the best thing – you can learn from the experienced ones and the young players are on the same journey as you. It was very enjoyable; I came to play and prove to myself I can play at this level and Blues gave me the opportunity.”
