It’s not something that’s necessarily sat totally comfortably with Nahki Wells or Tommy Conway all season, and the Bermudian says as much, albeit in passing, but, equally, there is a huge amount of respect, admiration and understanding towards Liam Manning that he knows, given his experience, he simply has to get on with it and do what’s best for Bristol City.
There have been three constants around the technical area during Manning’s time in charge: his water bottle placed carefully inside the right angle of the technical area each and every game, the lean over his shoulder to discuss matters with assistant Chris Hogg enabling him to keep one eye on the game, and the fourth official’s board around the 60-minute mark displaying the numbers 15 and 21.
The order has changed, in terms of who leaves the field and who joins the action, but in the 17 games Conway has been substituted off under Manning when Wells has been fit, 15 times he's made way for his striking colleague, and a similar ratio bears out for the veteran as of the seven occasions he has seen his number raised, five have been for the man from Taunton.
With the exception of 14 second-half minutes at Deepdale, the final 25 minutes at Coventry City, 32 against QPR, 22 at Sheffield Wednesday and the first 59 at home to Leeds United, Manning has remained wedded to having only one of his frontline strikers on the field at any one time. His reasoning is around energy levels, the competition each one provides the other and the desire to have as many creative and dynamic midfielders on the pitch and around them as possible.
There is also the suspicion that while they have previously profited as a partnership, first briefly in the Under-21s and then during Conway’s breakout campaign last term as all-bar one of his 12 goals were scored with Wells alongside him, is that both forwards are a little too similar in profile; vastly different in career paths and age range, obviously, but in terms of skilset, they are athletic with technical smarts and penalty box prowess, plus relentless work rate but neither is overtly physical or dominant in the air.
The desire to find such variation will form the foundation to a lot of City’s summer recruitment this summer, while also potentially the need to replace Conway as he enters the final year of his contract, but despite the strange dynamic of being close friends but also adversaries in battling for one starting role, Wells maintains the relationship remains strong and they’ve ultimately made it work because, quite simply, “that’s football”, and also because neither has performed to such a level they deserve for it to be any different.
“I’ve been here for long enough to know that people who I’ve got on well with, I’ve had to compete with for the shirt,” Wells said. “It goes a lot deeper than that, we all have our own personal motives, achievements and things like that and you have to do that for yourself but, equally, in order for the group, and myself, we have to push each other, support each other, and be there (for each other).
“I’ve never felt any envy from him, I’m pretty sure he’d feel the same. It’s not ideal because I think, at times, there are ways we can be efficient and effective on the pitch together because we’ve proven it in the past but the manager has his ways and that’s how it is and we’re both fighting for the shirt.
“It’s been a little bit more difficult to find consistency because I’ve only had back-to-back starts once, I think, but equally I haven’t given him enough reasons because I haven’t got the goals.
"And at times Tommy hasn’t and that’s why you’ve seen me come in, or him go in, but it’s football, if you’re not necessarily performing to the basics - as strikers we’re expected to score the goals - then we have to hold our hands up and that’s probably why the gaffer has changed it so many times. But we have to figure out a way to be as efficient as we can whoever he gives the nod to. We get along, we work hard, we want to be playing every week but at the minute only one of us can play.”
Manning is the fourth City manager Wells has worked with over his four-and-a-bit years in the West Country, and is the 14th different head coach he’s experienced in his long and impressive profressional career which began with a short and unsuccessful trial at Carlisle United 13 years ago before blossoming at Bradford City and beyond. He'll be reunited with one of the 14 this weekend as David Wagner was instrumental in Huddersfield's rise into the Premier League.
On winning the Terriers Player of the Year award in 2016, Wells credited Wagner for "revitalising his career", 12 months later promotion had been secured.
The latest man in charge in BS3 may only be five years Wells’ senior but in the relatively short period he’s been in place, he’s certainly left an impression on the striker with his openness and willingness to try and improve each and every individual, irrrespctive of whether they’re 33 or 23.
“All managers are different, but what I would say, in working with the gaffer is, first and foremost, he’s a great person, he loves the game, he’s 100 per cent committed to his job and, us as players, he really gives you that feeling that he wants you to progress as player; whether you’re a 19-year-old coming through or an experienced player like myself, there’s always room for improvement,” Wells added.
“His door is open, you walk in to have a chat and next thing you know you’ve been in his office for an hour, you’ve been watching clips, you’ve spoken about things and that’s one of the biggest things that I can say is great about him, it’s continuously wanting to improve you as a player, improve the team, take zero shortcuts and has the way and a process at how he wants to do things and I think it’s coming to fruition, so hats off to him, he’s been a breath of fresh air since he’s been in with his ideas and his training methods.
"Every day is like a lesson, even as an experienced player you feel like you’re learning every day and that’s something I think most of the players will feel.”
Improving Wells isn’t about changing his game, no coach would seek to do that at this stage of his career, but it’s about adding extra knowledge and small details around where to run, pressing triggers and certain spaces he can occupy he may not have previously conceived. If anything, the desire to get Conway running less but run with greater intelligence to his movement, can also apply to Wells.
“Even Nigel used to say all the time, ‘the older you get, the more you can learn’,” Wells said. “Because what you have is instilled within you, those traits, those characteristics, those habits are there. You can add on things to it. Whereas a young player starting their journey, there are uncertainties over what their strengths and weaknesses are? What they can’t do, what they can do?
“I know what I can do from doing it 500 times but it’s the other little things that you can just bolt on to progress as player; the mind is important, as you get older and more experienced you have to rely on that a lot more and that is the case for myself and many others. It’s still a learning curve, every day in the office is a day to improve and that’s something I have to give the gaffer credit for because that’s what his emphasis is every day.”
City travel to Norwich City on Saturday having extended their five-match unbeaten run with last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Huddersfield, secured as Wells stroked him a 101st minute penalty for the 101st Championship goal of his career.
Everyone is determined to make it a sixth match at Carrow Road, even with the challenge presented in front of them, but what this positive period has displayed are signs of progress that the team can take forward into the summer and next season.
For Wells, who is likely to secure the start ahead of Conway, putting a finger on exactly what has changed to switch from winning one in five, to three victories and two draws, with eight goals scored and only one conceded in response, is difficult.
“Nothing’s changed from the inside looking out,” Wells said. “The process has always been the same, the manager has worked the same, the ideas are being continuously drilled, the philosophy is there, us as individuals know each other, sometimes we haven’t performed or played to our maximum percentage or things haven’t dropped at various times but you know how football works - when things are going well for you, whether you get an early goal or whatever, all of a sudden you have a lift and everything works for you.”
To return to the previous subject matter, unless there’s a late flurry of booming Rob Dickie headers, Wells is also locked in a two-way fight for the golden boot with Conway. His penalty - his fourth in the last four games - against the Terriers boosted his tally to eight for the season, three behind his teammate with three matches to play and every chance he gets the start against Norwich.
It’s made for an encouraging finish to the campaign for the veteran who admits he’s not been at his best or most prolific all season - while also noting that the chances may not have been quite as forthcoming - but is proud of how he can still more than hold his own.
“I get told every day, being the second oldest in the squad, that I’m an old cat, and time just goes,” Wells said. “You get older and it’s something you have to deal with. Thankfully in my career I’ve been very lucky with injuries so I haven’t had that wear and tear from bad things happening to my body. That has helped, living a healthy lifestyle and just being athletic which has played into what my biggest attributes are.
“I wish I was 23 but I’m still able to compete with the young lads in terms of physical data. I still feel like I can play every game and 90 minutes, obviously the manager doesn’t think that because I don’t, but the willingness to put that effort in just pays dividends to where I am today and long may it continue. I know football doesn’t last forever but I want to stay at this level and beyond for as long as possible.”
Heading into a fifth year as a City player, as his contract expires next summer, allows for a certain degree of reflection as the Robins becoming a promotion force hasn’t materialised with his signing in January 2020 secured in the hope he could be the final piece of the puzzle given the long requirement for a “proven” Championship goalscorer.
The debate as to why is long, varied and fiercely contested and often disputed but Wells maintains everything is in position, once they can trap the lightning in the bottle that is finding consistency in one of the least consistent leagues in world football.
“We all believe that,” Wells added, of challenging for promotion. “To be in the top two might be a big ask but I think us, as a football club, we should be continuously looking forward. Everything is in place for the club to move forward. It’s difficult in the Championship with the level of competition but we have to become more consistent and that’s been something that’s let us down for my entire tenure.
"We kind of look like we turn a corner and then, whether it’s old habits or under-performance, for one reason or another we lack consistency. And that’s something we’ve struggled with during my time at this club.
“I do think we have a great squad but every squad can be improved and that’s what the club will be looking to do in the summer and if we can get the right individuals and we can become more consistent then I think we can have the recipe for it all.”
SIGN UP: For our daily Robins newsletter, bringing you the latest from Ashton Gate
