Considering the fact that most of the England FA representatives are quite tactile, Belgian FA vice-president Philippe Collin has caused quite a stir following his recent comments on Blues star Eden Hazard. Collin claims that while the 21-year-old is hugely impressive in some regards, there are times he needs “a kick up his ass” and has listed the parts of the game that the player needs to improve on.

Having signed from Lille in a deal worth a rumoured £32m, it would be fair to say that most Blues fans have held high expectations on the young forward. Fortunately, at the time of writing, he has certainly lit up the Premier League and already looks set to be one of the stars of the division following several eye-catching performances. However, Collin says that Hazard needs to show better strength in other areas of his game and has stated that the player needs to improve in defensive areas.

Speaking to Belgium media outlet Nieuwsblad, Collin said, “He has technique, explosiveness and positioning. At some point he will have to work on defending, and he has no choice with that. But I have confidence that [Belgium manager] Marc Wilmots will occasionally give him a kick up his ass. The learning process is slow but good. If Messi should work for the team and defend, then I see no reason why Hazard should not do likewise.”

Even though Blues supporters heard several stories about Hazard’s poor attitude prior to his arrival, as of yet there don’t appear to be any problems. It could be argued that his career in English football began somewhat indifferently following his debut performance in the Community Shield, but since then he has recovered incredibly and the fact he boasts six assists and one goal in the opening few weeks of the Premier League speaks volumes about his impact.