Nigel Pearson praised Zak Vyner for developing “reliability” in his defending following a summer of transfer uncertainty.
The City academy graduate has started all 19 of the Robins' Championship games this season and despite discussions being held during the transfer window, the 25-year-old has been one of the surprise success stories of the campaign.
“He’s had to fight for his place and there were doubts over whether he was going to stay here or not,” explained Pearson in his press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Middlesborough.
“When I or we make decisions about potential departures from the football club and then it changes because the player is able to change how we view the situation, that’s good.
“Zak’s a good player, he’s come through the academy, and he’s probably suffered from being versatile. He’s matured this season there’s been more reliability.
“He’s gained experience and developed through the players that he’s played alongside as well so those things together are all a part of a player’s development. Even players in their 30s can develop and improve themselves if they’ve got an open mind.”
Vyner himself spoke to the media in September to explain his view on the summer’s transfer possibilities, with a view to ensuring that he would be at his best no matter where he was plying his trade.
"Last season was tough. Of course, everyone wants to play football. Everyone here wants to be starting,” explained Vyner earlier in the season.
“It was something I had to look at myself, ask why I wasn't playing and pick that apart but at the same time, I had to be a teammate too. I had to make sure that the person in front of me, I was there to support them too.”
The former Aberdeen loanee was left out entirely of Bristol City’s last four matchday squads in the 2021/22 season, but the injury problems faced by Tomas Kalas, the retirement of Nathan Baker and Robbie Cundy’s decision to decline new terms and sign for Barnsley left Pearson’s backline incredibly light.
Pearson was unable to complete the signings of any extra defenders, with only Kal Naismith added, leading to Vyner being kept at Ashton Gate out of necessity.
The last two games have seen the 24-year-old operating at the heart of the back three, a position in which he struggled last season against experienced campaigners such as Birmingham City’s Troy Deeney and Fulham’s Aleksander Mitrovic.
“Zak’s stepped up,” said Pearson when discussing how his central defender had led the inexperienced backline of Cam Pring and George Tanner against Swansea City and Sheffield United. “That’s where we do miss Kal Naismith, but what I must say is Zak Vyner has improved tremendously this season.
“I thought he was really good against Swansea in that regard, he was very visible. But leadership is more than just organisation. Leadership is a presence and having some sort of an aura as well. People only follow you if they trust you and just because people are in authority doesn’t mean people will follow them.”
With the return of Kalas and Rob Atkinson to first-team training on Thursday afternoon after injury and illness respectively, the weight of leadership may well be able to be spread a bit more evenly across the backline for the game at the Riverside.
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