The good news is that Kovac recognizes this and is willing to be patient. “My experience is that when a young player arrives at a new club – and this varies – it can take between three and six months to adapt,” he said in a recent interview with The Athletic. “It takes time, but sometimes people are not fair and expect a big development right away. He also comes from abroad, where the language and culture were different, and his brother was also here, so there is additional pressure around him.”
Kovac added about Bellingham’s attitude and his obsession with football: “As a human being, he is wonderful. He is a polite and humble guy, who wants to work hard and improve every day, whether it is watching pictures or on the training pitch. That is absolutely what a coach wants. Sometimes I have to stop him and remind him that we play two games a week.
“But I like him a lot. Not only because of how it helps him, but also because he pushes other players. Sometimes I tell him that he shouldn’t eat, drink or sleep football, because you need different things in your life to keep your mind free, but everything has been very positive. He is taking steps forward all the time and without a doubt he will have a good career. I am very happy with him. He is a great guy and a very good player.”
The last few months have been a brutal test of Bellingham’s character, but he is still standing and could now be rewarded. Pascal Gross was sold back to Brighton at the start of the January window, with Sabitzer sidelined with a calf injury. As a result, Bellingham played every minute of Dortmund’s 3-2 home win against St Pauli on Saturday, and is expected to start again when they face Tottenham in the Champions League on Tuesday. A strong performance in north London could put Bellingham back on an upward trajectory, perhaps even reviving talk of a first senior international call-up.
“Playing with my brother for England would be the biggest dream of my life. Nothing would come close to that,” Jude said on the ‘Out of the Floodlights’ podcast back in 2024. That still seems a long way off now, but Jobe has the platform. It’s just a question of whether you accept the spotlight or cower before it.
