What Stoke City new boy has told Mark Robins about best position as he makes pledge
Sorba Thomas talks about his long and twisting journey to the bet365 Stadium as he looks to make an impact as a goal scorer as well as creator
Sorba Thomas has told Mark Robins he will play wherever he’s needed as he commits to being a team player at Stoke City.
Thomas has had chats with Robins and assistant James Rowberry, who is also his coach with Wales, about where he thinks he can have the most impact after completing a move to Stoke from Huddersfield Town.
But the 26-year-old, who has played in various roles on either side and perhaps been at his most effective on the right wing, is promising to put in a shift no matter the task he is given when the Championship kicks off next month.
“They asked me where I believe my best position is but, like I said to the manager and like I’ve said to Rowbs, I’ll play wherever they want me to play. I will leave it all out there,” he said.
“Me being a team player was something I needed to work on and it’s something I have worked on. At Nantes I played right-back one game, I played right wing-back, left wing-back, right wing. I’ve played many positions.
Youssef Chermiti and Mark Robins
“The manager knows where I believe my best position is but wherever he wants me, I’ll give 100 per cent.”
Thomas made his name as one of the most creative players in the division in a wide forward role while he was with Huddersfield.
There were ups and downs over four-and-a-half years after moving there from Boreham Wood, playing under six managers and different caretakers on top of that.
He refuses to see any lack of stability as something that has worked against him as he has tried to build his own career but he might relish it now if he can find it at the bet365 Stadium, where he hopes to make a mark as a goal scorer as well as maker.
“It was different…but I’m someone who can adjust to any sort of playing style and that helps because we had loads of different types of manager,” he said.
“I enjoyed playing under Darren Moore, counter-attacking football, and out of all of them he was probably the one who got the best out of me, but I learned from all of them. It was about growing, adapting, showing people I could adapt quickly.
“Of course you can never guarantee what’s going to happen next but whoever I’m playing under as a manager I will give 100 per cent, leave it all out on the pitch. I’ll be exciting, I want to add more goals to my game.
“But yes, stability is massive in football. That would be nice.”
It has been a long, twisting journey to get to this point in Thomas’s career, including last season on loan with Nantes. He will join up with his teammates next week after being given a bit of time off due to his summer commitments with Wales.
Youssef Chermiti and Mark Robins
“Every year I’m learning,” he said. “Every year there’s a new situation and I’ve gone from playing in a play-off final to then fighting for a place in the play-offs at Blackburn to then being relegated the following year back at Huddersfield. It’s been crazy but it’s been exciting as well.
