Ex-Hearts player admits Birmingham City frustration as 'unbelievable' factor makes things difficult for him

A Hearts academy graduate has opened up on his lack of game time at new club Birmingham City.

Marc Leonard was a promising prospect in the Gorgie ranks before being snapped up by Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion. After loan spells in the EFL with Northampton Town, he signed for Birmingham City in the transfer window but minutes have decreased of late.

The Tynecastle academy product has not started a league game since August 24th and had the full 90 minutes of Blues’ 7-1 win against Fulham in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy on Tuesday

He has Paik Seung-ho and Tomoki Iwata ahead of him, with the former a South Korean international and the latter played Champions League football with Celtic last term. Leonard admits it has been frustrating but he’s happy to bide his time amid some unbelievable sessions.

He told Birmingham Live: “I did [realise] because I realised that the level of the club and how big the club is and I won't shy away from anything. I think I train every day as hard as I possibly can and when I come on, I want to make as much impact as I can, or if I'm starting I want to do the exact same.

“I think the boys who have been playing have been unbelievable so far, and it's been difficult and it's been frustrating but you just have to get on with it, that's football and I'm definitely not going to shy away from anything.

“Competition for places is massive, it's a squad with heaps of quality. I mean, if you could watch the training sessions, it's incredible how good the sessions are.

“Even when the boys are on recovery, the boys that haven't played it's a really good standard and we've got such a big squad – and such a big squad full of quality players.

“The boys that don't play are so supportive, and it's a group of boys who are all supporting one another because sometimes it can be difficult if you're not playing and maybe you have been playing before, but totally we're all in the same lines, and we all want to be reach the same goal. So it's It's been really good.”