Arsenal: Cohen Bramall Jamie Vardy Comparison Ambitious

Arsenal signed Cohen Bramall this week, leading to comparisons with former non-league star Jamie Vardy. While not false, such comparisons are ambitious.

The non-league revolution is hitting football in full force. For many years, members of the media, former scouts and former players have claimed that there is quality in the lower echelons of the game. Well now, Arsenal are seemingly testing the waters.

The first signing of the January transfer window for the Gunners is left-back Cohen Bramall. Formerly of Hednesford Town, Arsene Wenger clearly saw a little something in the 20-year-old, something that warranted such an unlikely, unheralded and unexpected move.

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Since then, there have been many comparisons between Bramall and Jamie Vardy, another who rose through the non-league ranks to excel in the Premier League, firing Leicester City to the league title last season. Liam McDonald, the man who signed Bramall for Hednesford Town, was the first to suggest such a comparison, and now, former Gooner, Martin Keown, has echoed such a sentiment:

"“The success of Jamie Vardy last season has sent a message to scouts at every club to find players in non-League. These signings are very inspiring. There are players who Bramall will have played with and against who will feel they are just as good and will want to earn similar moves. It is so good for our game that we can drop down the pyramid and pluck out a player. It shows that you still have a chance – even at a non-League club.”"

It is certainly an obvious link to make. Both shot from obscurity into the harsh limelight of the Premier League, both clearly had talent without expectation and now, both will be working at the highest level in club football in England. However, while there are clear reasons to liken one to the other, to even predict that Bramall will have the same success as the Leicester City striker is ambitious.

That is not to say that he is a bad signing. With the little money that Wenger invested in him and the likely cheap wage that he is on, there is very little risk for the club and enormous reward. As Keown rightly states, it is ‘inspiring’ to see a club as prestigious and established as Arsenal scouring through the lower leagues for prospective talent.

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I would be extremely surprised if Bramall is even with the squad in two or three years. He will likely become the forgotten the man, someone who your friend in the pub says ‘remember him?’ However, he is well worth the very little risk and Wenger should be praised for his willingness to look high and low, very low, to find players he believes can contribute.

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