Jobe Bellingham has been warned by Borussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovac that he is “not doing himself any favours” as the youngster struggles for minutes following his £27million move from Sunderland this summer.
It hasn’t been the start that the 20-year-old would have envisaged for himself in Germany so far.
The midfielder was substituted at half-time on his Bundesliga debut, a 3-3 draw against St Pauli, causing a furious reaction from his father Mark.
He is said to have waited in the tunnel for sporting director Sebastian Kehl and embarked on an emotional outburst with the club chief.
The response reportedly resulted in Jobe’s father being totally banned from the dressing room.
And things have not improved since for the former Sunderland man, who has been sent a clear message by boss Kovac to be patient with his minutes.
The youngster has struggled for minutes following his £27million move from Sunderland this summer
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“Everyone wants to play every minute, but then you only need 11 players,” the former Bayern Munich manager said.
“When you sign a contract here, it is not only well paid, it also means there is a hell of a lot of competition.”
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There's more competition at Dortmund compared to Sunderland
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Jobe has just 154 minutes to his name since making the switch from Wearside to the Signal Iduna Park.
In contrast, brother Jude amassed over 2,800 minutes across 46 appearances in his debut campaign in Germany.
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Jobe does not wear the surname Bellingham on his back, but rather his first name to differentiate himself from his older brother.
Kovac has insisted that the youngster must remain a separate entity from his brother and the comparisons must be limited, although he admitted he has “great potential”.
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Borussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovac warned Jobe Bellingham there is a 'lot of competition' in his squad
|REUTERS
“Jobe is a player who has great potential, but a player who naturally has to grow into the game here,” the German continued.
“You can’t make the mistake of applying too much pressure, despite the name.
"I think that’s not doing the boy any favours, and the boy isn’t doing himself any favours.”
Jude Bellingham made 132 appearances for Borussia Dortmund
|PA
The frustration is not just felt by the manager, but also by the club’s managing director, Lars Ricken.
Speaking about Jobe’s rocky start before Sunday’s 1-0 win over Wolfsburg, Ricken told DAZN: “It’s a pity that we have the topic of Jobe every three or four days before and after the game.
"The boy is 19 years old. He already performed at the Club World Cup. We don't think in days or weeks; we think in years.
"Jobe has a five-year contract, and we are absolutely convinced that he will make his way here with us. We don't need to constantly talk about Jobe before and after every game."