Perfect time for Ferguson to rediscover scoring touch
AFTER his first Premier League hat-trick for Brighton in early September, Evan Ferguson rode into Dublin surfing a wave of goodwill ahead of the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2024 double-header.
The highly coveted teenage property of English club football was acclaimed as the striker to put the fear into France and the Netherlands and ride to Stephen Kenny’s rescue.
The FAI’s social media outfit even posted clips of Ferguson getting bear hugs all-round as he checked in at the team hotel in Castleknock.
What happened next was unexpected.
First, Ferguson flew out of Dublin almost as soon as he flew in, with a knee problem that needed minding. He missed both Euro qualifiers, which Ireland lost.
Since then, for Brighton he has scored two goals in 26 appearances, none at all in his last 15.
Those returns are modest but some context is required. Initially, there was the knee issue which required managing and rest.
Also, he’s only 19 and it’s unfair to compare him to other teenage scoring marvels such as Alan Shearer, Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney.
Shearer fuelled the hype by labelling Ferguson as ‘a very special talent’ who ‘could be a superstar’. He is on his own journey and Brighton, where he signed a contract extension in early November than runs until 2029, is the perfect club for him to embark from.
Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi knows he has a nugget in his hands, as yet unpolished, and is prepared to be patient.
When Ferguson was banging in goals — six in his first 12 Premier League games this season — De Zerbi wasn’t shouting from the rooftops.
And as Ferguson goes through a barren patch, De Zerbi has been a supportive presence.
Ferguson is a levelheaded chap, with sensible people around him, such as father Barry, who played as a professional in England and knows how the game works.
Talk of Manchester United interest, Spurs interest, and, most recently, Chelsea interest, won’t turn Ferguson’s head. Nor will potential price tags of €100m.
Even so, the dearth of goals is probably gnawing away at him a little.
He started in the FA Cup ties against Stoke City and Sheffield United. Brighton scored nine goals in those games but Ferguson drew a blank. Against Crystal Palace in the Premier League on February 3, he started but was substituted after 69 minutes with Brighton three goals to the good.
Last Saturday, with Brighton again 3-0 up against Sheffield United, he played 25 minutes as a substitute, and was a whisker away from getting his laces to the ball on its way into the net.
For Ferguson, it’s about grafting hard at training, learning his trade, staying patient and seizing his moment when it comes. And it will come.
Before next month’s international break, he can expect to be busy as Brighton cram in seven games — four in the Premier League, two in the Europa League and one in the FA Cup.
With top scorer Joao Pedro currently ruled out with a hamstring issue, Ferguson is vying with Danny Welbeck to lead the line.
The latter is 33 and won’t be asked to start seven times in 22 days. Ferguson can expect to be pushed forward into the front rank by De Zerbi, armed with the opportunity to get back on the goal trail, and not just in Brighton blue and white.
Ireland’s upcoming friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland, give every incentive to put a marker down — presumably in front of a new manager — for the Nations League in the autumn. Currently, there is refreshing competition for places in the Irish attack as Adam Idah (Celtic) and Troy Parrott (Excelsior) are among the goals at club level, and Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodics, a potential recruit, is top scorer in the Championship. A timely reminder from teen sensation Ferguson of his stunning hattrick against Newcastle United back in September wouldn’t go amiss.