It is with both excitement and trepidation that Bright Enobakhare returns to Coventry City. One of the most talented individuals to have played for the Sky Blues in recent years, Bright Enobakhare’s recent career trajectory – as well as tales of his off-field exploits – indicate that his potential is in danger of not being harnessed. There is the tantalising prospect that if Mark Robins can get the best out of Bright Enobakhare, he could drag the team up the Championship table almost entirely on his own. However, it’s not just about whether Enobakhare proves to be a success as an individual and more about what impact he might have on the dynamic of the squad.
On the face of it, Enobakhare provides the team with a much-needed alternative/partner for Callum O’Hare in the attacking midfield area of the pitch. While O’Hare’s game is all about relentless running, Enobakhare’s ability to receive the ball in tight areas and beat defenders with ease provides a different way to get up the pitch and break through defences, he is also someone who provides more of a goal threat than O’Hare. Whether it’s in tandem with O’Hare, as a game-changer from the bench, or an alternative to allow O’Hare the occasional rest, Bright Enobakhare provides Mark Robins with a very useful option in a key area of the pitch who can be used in a few different ways.
While there is a chance that the penny may have dropped with Bright Enobakhare about his application outside of games, this is a signing that is likely to come down to how Mark Robins manages him and how the rest of the squad reacts to it. In Enobakhare’s first spell at the club, he was so much more talented than his team-mates that it could be justified handing him free rein off-the-pitch. Just how Championship players may feel about that same treatment remains to be seen. This is a signing that carries a huge risk and one that it feels like the club might have wanted to avoid taking in ideal circumstances. It is presumably one that Mark Robins thinks is worth taking, it would be more than a little bit exciting if it came off.
Sideways Sammy 