Cameron Jerome is unfazed about the possibility of starting on the bench for Sunday’s Carling Cup Final.
The Blues striker has lost his place in the starting line-up for the past two league games as new signing Obafemi Martins has been paired with man-of-the-moment Nikola Zigic up front.
Jerome’s all-action performances had started to look jaded in recent weeks so boss Alex McLeish freshened up his attack by introducing the on-loan Nigerian forward.
Jerome is hoping the break from the first-team action will have done him good, and being omitted from the squad has not affected his outlook as he prepares for what he describes as the biggest game of his career.
“I think coming out of the team for a couple of weeks at any point of the season is always good for a player, especially a player like me who is all about explosiveness,” he said.
“Whether the time was right or not right, I think coming out of the game, even watching the game, mentally and physically it gives you a break.
“I’m well aware there is competition for places in the team so I just took it with a pinch of salt really.
“It did me well to sit on the sidelines for a couple of games, get myself right and come on in the latter stages and make an impact which I’ve done the last couple of games.
“It is healthy for the squad if there is more competition and Obafemi is a good player and it’s only going to boost our chances of winning things like the Carling Cup.
“All in all, the lads can’t be too beat up about people coming in and taking their places.
“It’s up to them to make sure they train and when they perform, it’s up to them to keep the shirt.
“I’m never one to doubt my ability and I know when the manager makes a decision it’s for the best of the team, not an individual.
“He picks the best team available and the team he thinks will do the job for him.”
Excitement is already building around the camp as Blues aim to cause a major upset by beating red-hot favourites Arsenal.
“As a kid you grow up thinking I’d love to play at Wembley, love to play for England, love to play professional football, and it’s just about achieving your dreams,” added Jerome.
“You can’t put yourself under too much pressure otherwise you will freeze when you come to the big stage.
“We’ve got to approach it as another game. We are well aware of the stature of the game.”
