Football News: What Do The Blades Do With Baxter?

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Seeing three players being caught by drugs tests always leaves a difficult decision to be made for the clubs. The one that really stands out as needing to get some real help to sort himself out is Jose Baxter, the Sheffield United midfielder. He clearly has an issue, not necessarily of drug use, but in terms of the people he is hanging around with.

Having previously been arrested back in 2009 on drug charges, while a youngster at Everton, Baxter should be concentrating on keeping his nose clean and making the most of his talents. Instead the thing he is most remembered for right now, other than the arrest and failed drugs test, is being so out of shape Crystal Palace turned him down as a free signing.

Perhaps the meteoric early rise he had, when he became the Toffee's youngest ever player, trumping another fallen youth star James Vaughan. He did have the option to sign a new contract and stay at Everton, but chose to leave in search of first team football. Usually it is taken as a good sign, when a player chooses to go for first team football, but his failure to maintain his fitness after leaving them is a worry.

This is what he needs to be doing:

The lad has clear talent, he has the quality to play at a higher level, but he needs to realise that it will go to waste if he is not careful. I am sure that the Blades want to help him, but they have to make sure they do not allow him to keep making similar mistakes, simply because he is a quality player.

He is a young lad in need of some guidance, but the club need to ensure they give him that guidance, rather than just try and keep him happy. They have to think of him, not what he can do on the pitch for them.

Written by Tris Burke June 23 2015 16:04:17