The Saints cult hero coached Adams at Birmingham and has tipped the striker for a bright future at St Mary’s Stadium.
Southampton cult hero and Birmingham City first-team coach James Beattie has spoken highly of Che Adams, who left the Blues this summer to join the Saints, and thinks the striker has all the attributes to be a success on the south coast (official Southampton website).
At the start of July, the 23-year-old made the switch to St Mary’s from St Andrew’s on a five-year-deal for a reported £15million fee after three years in the Second City, where he scored 38 goals in 123 appearances (BBC Sport).
Adams had a bright pre-season in which he claimed three goals and three assists in four friendlies, but he is yet to get off the mark in the Premier League, though he did come close against Burnley and Liverpool.
Beattie, who scored 76 times in 233 appearances during six-and-a-half years at Southampton, joked that he “probably matured about eight years” during 15 months working together at Birmingham, and also outlined his biggest improvement during that time.
“He’s still quite raw, but technically he’s improving all the time,” Beattie told the official Southampton website. “He’s powerful, fast and he knows where the net is. He’s 23 years old, but in the 15 months we were working together, he probably matured about eight years!
“His biggest improvement has been in his mentality and his approach to his football. I think he takes it more seriously now and he understands what he could be. He’s a good lad – a nice kid – and he’s going to do well if he carries on in the same vein that he’s showed over the last 15 months. He’s a good player. I don’t really like the word ‘potential’, but he’s got all the attributes to become a folk hero here.”
Up next for Southampton is Saturday’s Premier League clash away at fellow south coast side Brighton & Hove Albion.
