BRADFORD boss Phil Parkinson has praised star striker Nahki Wells for resisting the temptation to quit during the transfer window.
Wells, 23, plundered 26 goals in League Two last season and has begun the current campaign in blistering form, striking six times to bag the League One player of the month award for August.
Naturally, those exploits made the Bermudan a wanted man, with Peterborough having a bid rejected before Championship pacesetters QPR expressed an interest.
However, with nobody willing to meet Bradford’s £3m valuation, Wells remained at Valley Parade – and Parkinson says the striker never even came close to kicking up a stink.
Refreshing
“I’ve got a lot of time for Nahki,” said Parkinson. “He’s a young lad who had a great season but his feet are firmly on the ground. We live in an era when agents and players are forever trying to orchestrate moves and get themselves a bit more money.
“But at no point during the transfer window did Nakhi ever come knocking on my door to ask if the rumours were true. That was quite refreshing for all of us, and a great testament to the character of the boy.”
And while Parkinson needs no convincing of Wells’ talent, he believes other clubs may want to see if he can sustain his form.
“You have to remember that last year was really Nahki’s first full season as a genuine regular,” added the former Charlton and Colchester boss.
“For most managers, that’s not enough – they’ll want to see how he adapts to life in the division above.
“But I’ve got full confidence in him. He knows himself that he’s still learning the game and has a lot to do. With that attitude, he should be more than capable of making the step up.”
Like their striker, Bardford have taken to League One in fine style, losing just one of their first six matches and hammering four past Carlisle and Brentford.
It follows on from last season’s heroics, which saw the Bantams banish a decade of mediocrity by reaching the final of the Capital One Cup and win promotion via the play-offs.
“We’ve got a young group and it’s a step up for all of them,” said Parkinson. “But they’re enjoying the challenge and progressing very well.
“I could sense on the first day of pre-season that they had a real spring in their step, a confidence that carried over from last year.
“It’s the same for them as it is for the fans. Bradford have been in League Two for a lot of years and things do get stale.
“Now they’ve got the freshness and excitement of going to new grounds, seeing different teams and ways of playing the game.
“It makes everybody enthusiastic, right from across the board.
“Now it’s about keeping it going. We had 18,000 here for the Sheffield United game which just shows the fantastic potential if you can get things right on the pitch.”
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