A player who has looked a level or two above this Coventry City team for much of his time at the club, it could be easy to take for granted the level of brilliance that Gustavo Hamer provides for this team. Aside from one or two rough patches, it is now nearly two full seasons of excellence from Hamer, who has helped the team grow into a mid-table Championship side. A midfielder with a really well-rounded skill-set, aside from one notable flaw, Gustavo Hamer is the kind of player who can bend games to his will at his very best and can generally be relied upon to supply quality when others around him are short on inspiration.
With an excellent range of passing, the ability to surge past opponents in the dribble, a powerful shot and a good reading of the game, Gustavo Hamer can fulfil almost any midfield role. When sitting deeper, he can set the tempo of a game. When pushing further forward, he can create and score goals. When on peak form, Gustavo Hamer can do both jobs at the same time. It isn’t just about the technical qualities that Hamer possesses, but how that’s married with a drive to influence the game. From the effortless cross-field passes, to the way he often speeds moves up by heading the ball into the path of a team-mate instead of taking a touch, Gustavo Hamer doesn’t use his ability for the sake of it, he uses the set of tools he possesses in order to turn the game in his team’s favour.
It would be remiss to discuss Gustavo Hamer without mentioning his disciplinary record. With more yellow cards than any other player in the Championship this season, Hamer has a reckless streak in his game that is probably the reason why he is yet to move up to a higher level. So many of Hamer’s bookings this season have been out of sheer petulance – i.e. fouling players he doesn’t need to or arguing with referees – and could be cut out without impacting his ability to affect games. Aside from that, Gustavo Hamer has only been getting better and better in a Coventry City shirt. If it is his disciplinary record that is keeping him at the club, Mark Robins may well be able to live with that.
Sideways Sammy 