Wolves comment: Morgan Gibbs-White running out of time after lockdown break

Promise had been shown in fits and starts, and the time had come for the midfielder to start stringing together a consistent run of performances.

Several months later, the 20-year-old only has four 2019/20 Premier League appearances to his name, and now he has been spotted partying with reality TV stars while the country is supposed to be in lockdown because of a devastating global pandemic.

It would appear his actions thus far have trended a lot more towards 'break'.

On the games front, there have been extenuating circumstances. The main reason for the lack of matches is a back injury which kept him out for a number of months. That is not his fault.

But ignoring social distancing rules and choosing to go to a gathering with Love Island contestants in London – a couple of hours' journey nonetheless – is entirely his fault.

This break in the season because of the virus has been far from ideal for Wolves, having risen to sixth in the Premier League and made it to the last 16 of the Europa League – momentum was very much on their side.

However, if anybody could look at football being suspended as a bit of a silver lining, it was Gibbs-White.

Hampered by injuries, and having not grasped the opportunities given to him over the course of the campaign, it represented a time for the Stafford-born academy product to knuckle down and prove a point.

If he had a big point to prove before, though, it will take a humongous effort to turn things around in his favour now. That is a great shame.

After all, there is a very gifted footballer in there. Nuno Espirito Santo has consistently backed the young playmaker over the past couple of years, while his team-mates have often spoken of his supreme talent.

That quality has not been seen enough, though. As Wolves have ascended to giddy heights, Gibbs-White has hit a plateau – and now for his off-field actions, a career low.

Yes, he is young and we have all made mistakes. But at the same time, he has been around the first-team fold long enough now to know he has a duty to represent Wolves 24/7.

Ten years ago, he may have got away with flouting lockdown rules but in this social media age, you have got to be switched on at, pretty much, all times.

Whether that is right or wrong in the grand scheme of things is open to interpretation, but, ultimately, it is the way of the world.

Gibbs-White, no doubt, will be thinking about his actions while the club say they will deal with the matter internally.

And it would be great to see him turn this big negative into a positive down the line – a real kick up the backside.

It will not be easy, though, as Gibbs-White was already on thin ice with a fair few fans, feeling he had squandered too many chances in a team going places.

Many have pointed out a loan spell in the Championship to get regular game time under his belt would be a good thing – me being one of them, too.

Now, it is up to Gibbs-White to show his worth because time is running out and, for many people, patience has worn thin.

Just as he is all to blame for going to a house party during lockdown, it is all up to him to put in the work to try to reverse the trend.