SPECIALFEATURE
“The first lockdown was quite a
big turning point,” explains Bennett.
“He worked incredibly hard behind
the scenes on his upper-body strength
when we weren’t going into the training
ground. He took it on himself to do
those extras that you can’t when you’re
playing all the time. Coming back, you
could see a difference in his body and
the way he held himself.”
The absence of crowds was another
advantage. He could focus solely on
his own performance, without any
outside distractions. “No one enjoyed
last season in terms of not having fans
in the stadium, but I think Bezza was one
of the players that it massively helped.
He thrived, without hitting the numbers
that he has this season. The signs were
there. His confidence was building.”
If the young striker had thrived from
being away from the spotlight, he was
soon to be thrust into it, in a way that
very few people could have predicted.
The story of how Brereton DiazApprentice of the Year at the 2017
EFL Awards, Brereton Diaz capped
his breakthrough with a place in Keith
Downing’s squad for the European
Under-19 Championship that summer.
Along with Ryan Sessegnon, he was the
joint-top scorer for a victorious England
side featuring future internationals
Aaron Ramsdale, ReeceJames
and Mason Mount.
Uncertainty still prevailed at Forest.
Brereton Diaz made 39 appearances
in all competitions during his first full
season and was often used out wide
because of his energy and work rate.
It’s been a theme in his career so far,
but Lester believes he’s much better
suited to playing centrally.
“He offers a lot in those positions
because of his running power and
his intelligence, but I always felt his
best position was through the middle.
I always felt he was a number nine.
I think he might have stalled slightly
when he was playing out wide, but as
soon he’s gone back to playing down
the middle he’s been brilliant again.”
Established as one of the brightest
young prospects outside the Premier
League, Brereton Diaz joined Blackburn
Rovers in August 2018. It was a serious
statement of intent from a club that
had just won promotion from the third
tier. He initially arrived on loan, before
the deal was made permanent for
£7 million in theJanuary transfer
window. The fee, however, would
weigh heavily on him.
“It was difficult for him at the
beginning, particularly with the price
tag, even though that was never his
fault,” says former Rovers winger
Elliott Bennett. “Ben was only young
and sometimes it can take a while to
adapt to a new club and being away
from home. They’re things that a lot
of people don’t take into consideration.“You always want to hit the ground
running, score goals and be a big part
of the team. That didn’t quite happen
for him – he wasn’t playing week in,
week out – and then it becomes
difficult. You start questioning whether
you made the right decision and when
it’s going to work out for you.”
Doubts crept in, and supporters
became increasingly disgruntled, as
Brereton Diaz’s wait for his first goal
dragged on. Manager Tony Mowbray
preached patience and understanding.
He was a signing for the future, based
on potential rather than a proven track
record.
It took 27 games for Brereton Diaz
to finally break his duck, finding the net
against Bolton in the penultimate game
of the season. He hoped to kick on from
there but continued to face long spells
on the fringes until the pandemic
intervened. Determined to make
the most of the unexpected break,
he came back in top condition.England Under-19s...the striker scored five
goals in18 appearances for the Young LionsBreakthrough
...Brereton Diaz
celebrates scoring
against Fulham in
the 2016-17 season