HE WILL GET EVAN BETTER

Ferguson’s got bullet-proof mindset needed to succeed

EVAN FERGUSON has the ‘bulletproof’ mentality to become one of Ireland’s most feared strikers.

That is the view of Ireland Under-21 boss, Jim Crawford, who may well never get to work with the Brighton whiz-kid again, even though Fergie still has three years remaining at that level.

Ferguson (18) has scored three goals from just two Premier League starts, netting against Arsenal on New Year’s Eve, then Everton and Leicester, as well as an assist against Liverpool.

A horror tackle by Reds midfielder Fabinho last week has interrupted his momentum, but Crawford isn’t worried by that minor setback, fully convinced Ferguson’s good start will evolve into a great career.

Crawford said: “What Evan has done in the last month or so does not surprise me one bit because I remember when I first saw him, in a Brighton versus Derby Under-23s match, when he was 16 at the time; he just looked impressive from the get-go.

“We promptly brought him into our set-up and I remember thinking to myself,‘This does not feel right, he’s 16, way too young for Under-21 football’.

Outstanding

different things.

“Having a bullet-proof mindset is key to making it,” says Crawford. “It is about living right, training right, being assertive in terms of asking questions of your coaches, not being afraid to knock on your coach’s door and ask him to go over (video) clips.

“I give that advice to all the Under-21 players, and they all do it. They like to sit down and go through clips of themselves and the opposition. It is important to be consistent with that.

“Then there are the other variables you need to make it: the lucky breaks, the need to avoid serious injuries. He is on solid footing in terms of his mentality because he comes from a great family, a grounded family.

Fantastic

“But if I was asked, ‘What is the main thing you need to make it’, my answer would be a bulletproof mentality, where you ask the question of yourself every day: How can I get better?

“Can I get better physically? Mentally? Tactically? Technically?

How can I get better?” Evan has those qualities. He is a fantastic, outstanding professional.”

And after encountering fears a week ago that he was set, possibly, for a spell on the sideline, good news arrived yesterday when Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi confirmed that Ferguson will be re-appearing in firstteam football soon, maybe even today.

De Zerbi said: “The injury was not so heavy; he might be able to play tomorrow or the next game, but right now it’s not so clear.”