Mooy and Hegazi prove the ‘Google test’ is flawed
Ahead of a final chance this weekend for managers to assess their needs before deciding whether to join a frantic market for players, the lesson so far this summer is that Danny Rose’s ‘Google test’ for prospective new signings would be spectacularly flawed.
West Ham United were widely applauded for their recruitment of established Premier League pedigree in Javier Hernandez, Joe Hart and Marko Arnautovic but have so far conceded seven times in two defeats. Bournemouth also wanted to add players of proven stature in Jermain Defoe, Nathan Ake and Asmir Begovic but are themselves also still searching both for their first point and a new balance. Both teams will surely improve – and will dearly want to register today ahead of the international break – but cast your eye around the Premier League and it is increasingly clear that the very best work in the transfer market requires a knowledge of players that far exceeds the average dressingroom.
Indeed, the potential value now of an astute recruitment department has become so vast that it is a wonder that even more money is not being ploughed into this area. It is an expertise that has underpinned the success of clubs like Leicester City, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur in recent years. As other European leagues have caught up, the old argument about players needing time to adapt to the supposedly unique demands of the Premier League is also losing much of its power. Riyad Mahrez, N’golo Kante, Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso, Dele Alli and Sadio Mane might now be high-profile but only after arriving as relative unknowns and making such an immediate impact. So who should we be looking out for at this admittedly nascent stage of this season? Huddersfield Town have been the story so far and they are being inspired by a 26-year-old Australian midfielder by the name of Aaron Mooy who was playing for Melbourne City only last year. Mooy was initially brought to England by Manchester City but did not play, went out on loan to Huddersfield and subsequently cost them just £8 million this summer.
He set up two goals in the 3-0 victory against Crystal Palace and scored the winner against Newcastle last week. At West Bromwich Albion, another club with a maximum six points out of six, Ahmed Hegazi has been the star. A 6ft 4in Egyptian centreback who had spent the last two years in Cairo at Al Ahly, Hegazi scored the winning goal against Bournemouth and was man of the match for the second time in succession in the victory over Burnley.
With respective home games this weekend against Southampton and Stoke City, it is quite conceivable that Mooy and Hegazi will help maintain Huddersfield and West Brom’s perfect start. Their success coupled with the struggles so far of Bournemouth and West Ham should also dissuade a rush to form transfer judgments over the next five days.
Premier League experience is not necessarily so decisive and the supposed risk mitigation of proven players stepping down in the later years of their careers can often be misleading. Fans of Queens Park Rangers will know that and, for all his skills as a wing-back, recruitment looks an unlikely future career path for Danny Rose.