Playing with the Kids

Playing with the Kids

Well we're just over halfway through the season, and we find ourselves in a similar position. Around the playoff places again, albeit a much tighter proposition than last year. This year, however we’ve done it with a younger, lower rated squad. A squad that in theory should grow with the club.

Youth has been at the forefront of my mind as I look to move the team from a club that utilised higher rated but older players, to a club that brings through players from within. Not an easy feat when the older players you have aren't worldies to begin with. The youth team now boasts prospects from all corners of the globe and should hopefully mature into high quality first team players. Of course with any young player, potential is just that, the capacity to develop into something in the future. Some will fail, and join the likes of Sir Francis of Jeffers, or the American Messi, Freddy Adu. Others will take a slower route to stardom, Oriol Romeu struggled at various times, however has gone on to become the player of the season for a side at the top end of the non-elite Premier League table as he reaches his middle twenties. Hopefully a sprinkling of the current youth crop will take the short cut past mediocrity and become the hype and talent that the media bestows upon them, players such as Alphonso Davies and Alex Grimaldo.

An overview of some of the new young signings at Liege;

Will Hughes has consistently been one of the best players in the Championship, linked with moves to Liverpool and Man United. His performances this season however have done little to reinforce that promise. The second half of the season has seen the player fall out of favour at various times as his contribution has waned slightly. As they say though, form is temporary and class is permanent.

Bjorn Engles has long been mooted as a potential solution to Arsene Wenger’s central defense problems, lord know he needs all the help he can get… Whilst fairly injury prone (another trait Wenger looks for), he’s played the full second half of the season for Brugge now that he’s fit again, and the club finished a close second in the league behind Anderlecht.

Swiss winger-cum-wing back (aren’t they all these days?) Jordan Lotomba has been scouted by Juventus as they look to continue their dominance of Serie A by supplementing superstars with young prospects. First choice when fit at the tender age of 18, he’s been one of the highlights of a very poor, although just promoted, Lausanne-Sport side.

Oriol Busquets – a concatenation of 2 of La Masia’s midfield anchors, has been talked about as a player that could eventually go on to play for Barcelona’s first team. A key figure for Barcelona’s UEFA Youth League side, he shares the same position, surname and build as the current master. Long legs allow him to steal the ball from opposing players before they’ve realised he’s even close, whilst his passing under pressure is already sublime. Pacey and strong, his only real glaring weakness at the moment is his inability to ping those long through balls, but come on, he’s a number 6 and he’s only 18…

Geronimo Rulli got his big move (that was never announced) to City in August 2016 from Maldonado and was promptly loaned back to the club he was currently on loan at, Real Sociedad. Keeping up? An agreed transfer fee of £5.95 million was exercised by the Spaniards that saw him join permanently in January, with a mooted buy back clause for City of around £12 million. 10 clean sheets over 38 games, and 53 goals conceded has seen him reinforce his reputation as one of the best young keepers in Europe.

Gonzalo Maroni has finally broken into the first team at River Plate (I’ve been sat on him for just under a year now) and scored a cracker of a volley against Arsenal de Sarandi. Likened to Juan Roman Riquelme, the young Argentine should hopefully continue to get first team minutes, and if he turns out to be half as good as his illustrious compatriot, I’ve spotted an absolute gem.

Another Argentine, Santiago Colombatto, has been playing well for the Under 20’s in the current tournament, creating 2 goals in 3 games. Lazio have been consistently linked with a move for the Cagliari youngster, who unsurprisingly has also been compared to Lucas Biglia and Fernando Redondo (you’re no-one if you’re not compared to someone it seems…). My first signing as Liege manager (I think?), and I’m glad that I’m finally seeing the fruits of my labour.

Reece Oxford has been lauded as Rio Ferdinand’s great successor. Jaap Stam didn’t seem to think so during his loan spell at Reading though, due to concerns around his attitude. Reece has been given a second chance to prove his worth however over at Borussia Monchengladbach, and we all know they love a young defender over there. Linked with a move to Manchester United every summer since he was only 3 days old, hopefully he’ll get some game time in Germany and become the classy centre back he should be.

Ajax midfielder Frenkie De Jong managed 8 minutes in the Europa final the other day, was a regular for Ajax under 21’s, and broke into the first team for the last couple of games of the season for the Ajax first team. Whilst physically lacking, his technical ability more than makes up for this, showing an unwavering ability to break a defence with a pass. Hopefully the loss of Peter Bosz will not slow down his development, but I’ve got high hopes for him.

Laszlo Benes, David Carmona and Aymen Barkok are all set to join from Genoa in a move that see’s the prodigious Pietro Pellegri move the opposite way.

Benes has been getting minutes for Borussia MonchenGermanTeam over the last 10 or so games of the season and should be playing alongside Oxford next season. A creative midfielder with great vision, and loves taking a shot, has recently been called up to the Slovakian national squad.

David Carmona has been a regular for Sevilla Atletico for 3 seasons now, but has been hampered by the consistency of Mariano in his attempts to break into the first team. Mariano however is no spring chicken. Alongside Sergio Rico, Clement Lenglet, Luciano Vietto and Joaquin Correa, Carmona can become a key player in an ever more youthful Sevilla side.

18 first team games by the time you’ve just turned 18 is a good record for any young player, even more so when you’re playing in one of the top divisions in Europe, the Bundesliga. Aymen Barkok has been a consistent performer for Eintracht Frankfurt since breaking into the first team on the 20^th November 2016. 1 goal and 1 assist in his 3 games for Germany under 19’s also show that he’s definitely on the right track.

Alphonso Davies is the MLS new great hope. Scouted by Europe’s top clubs from 15 years old, you can’t help but be reminded of Freddy Adu. Fast, technically gifted and strong, he’s not shirked from playing with the big boys and has consistently been Vancouver Whitecaps stand out player.

Some of the more well known names now at Liege are Marcos Llorente (voted one of the breakout players of the season behind Mbappe, Naby Keita and Caldara), Mitchell Weiser of Hertha and Calum Chambers of Aresenal. I’m hoping that now Arsene has moved to 3 at the back, Chambers can capitalise on solid performances for Middlesbrough and stake a claim for a first team place.

Whilst we might not be pulling up any trees over here in Belgium at the moment, I’ve tried to remain competitive whilst the rebuild is being carried out. Time will tell if I’ve made the right decisions with regards to players, but long term I’m quietly optimistic.