Reece lightning
WIGAN TECHNICAL DIRECTOR REID BLOWN AWAY BY JAMES LOAN SPELL
ONCE Frank Lampard was appointed Chelsea manager, the future was always going to be bright for Stamford Bridge teenage sensation Reece James.
The spring heeled full back collected award after award in May following a headlinegrabbing season on loan at Championship side Wigan Athletic.
And former Everton title-winning star and England player Peter Reid (left), who is Wigan’s technical director, has revealed that Lampard attempted to cut short James’ loan in January when he was Derby manager.
“Frank tried to get him to go to Derby but he wanted to stay with us. That shows you that Frank has known all about Reece and his potential for some time,” said Reid.
“We were delighted that he knocked back Derby’s interest. It shows he has a bit about him, that he is loyal. I was a little surprised after some of his earlier performances for us that someone didn’t go one step further and try to buy him in January.
“At Wigan we were certainly glad no one knocked on Chelsea’s door and made them an offer they couldn’t refuse. If I had been scouting him regularly I know that my report would have been – ‘we’ve got to sign him’.
“He won all those awards last season, deservedly so. He was superb right throughout the season.”
It’s a wonder the unassuming 19-year-old – whose sister Lauren plays for Manchester United’s women’s team – had enough room for the multi accolades, winning Championship Player of the Season, Wigan Player of the Year, Wigan Players’ Player of the Year and Wigan Goal of the Season.
The previous season he had been named Chelsea’s academy player of the year. Now Blues fans are seeing for themselves what a precocious talent Lampard has inherited.
Promoted to Aidy Boothroyd’s England Under-21s, Reid is in no doubt that it’s just a stepping stone to possible inclusion in Gareth Southgate’s senior squad – maybe in time for next summer’s European Championships.
“I’m pretty confident he will short circuit that and break into the senior side. He won’t look out of place,” added Reid
“He has all the playing attributes but is also mentally strong and anyone who has seen him recently for Chelsea against Crystal Palace and in the Champions League against Ajax can see that nothing bothers him.
“In the Palace game he was up against the talented Wilfried Zaha but handled him brilliantly. It shows you what the kid has got.”
Thankfully for Reid, who had a big say in James arriving at Wigan on loan, his first impression of the youngster has been borne out. He explained: “I first saw him play for Chelsea Under-23s against Lincoln and thought to myself: ‘ I like the look of this lad’.
“We managed to persuade him to come on loan and in the first training session he was playing in a wide position. Suddenly he opened up his legs to show fantastic pace and then clipped the ball into the box. I just went ‘wow’. That was it, we knew we had a player on our hands.
“You never know with youngsters. There have been plenty who haven’t been able to handle it. After day one on the training ground we knew Reece would take it in his stride. He’s a terrific athlete – built like a bull but when he went into the middle of the park for one game he displayed fantastic vision.”