We must play winning game of patience to protect great young talent
Chelsea, there are tales swirling around about the immediate future of Callum Hudson-odoi, a team-mate of Foden’s in England Under-17s triumphant World Cup campaign in October of last year.
Hudson-odoi scored his first senior goal for Chelsea in the recent Europa League victory over Paok Salonika.
Now, there are stories of the ‘play me or lose me’ variety doing the rounds.
Hudson-odoi turned 18 a month ago.
Jadon Sancho’s switch to Borussia Dortmund will have turned a few teenagers’ heads, sure, and if Hudson-odoi already believes there will be no pathway to the first team for him at Stamford Bridge, he is entitled to make a career decision.
But for this generation of teenage English players, patience is the key.
Morgan Gibbs-white, another of the U-17 World Cup winners has been Strong response to a question about whether he should have signed for Manchester United. Pretty sure United fans might be questioning Shearer’s objectivity on Match of the Day, though. patient at Wolves, making eight Premier League appearances as substitute before being given his first start last week.
Replacing the suspended Ruben Neves, Gibbs-white was outstanding in the 2-1 win over Chelsea.
There is a chance he will keep his place for today’s trip to Newcastle. After his performance against Chelsea, Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo said Gibbs-white was part of “one of the best generations of English players for a long time”. Gibbs-white, though, will not be rushed, he added. Good. While, understandably, Gareth Southgate continues to bemoan the lack of English players starting Premier League games, the young players who do get a chance have to be of the highest quality.
And it has not always been the case that world-class talents are early starters. In some cases, that is true – Wayne Rooney being a prime example.
But Paul Scholes was only two months shy of his 20th birthday when he made his Premier League debut.
David Beckham was one month from his 20th birthday when he made his Premier League debut.
Steven Gerrard was 18 years and six months’ old on his Premier League debut.
Even in the days when opportunities for English players might have been more plentiful, that golden generation did not have it easy.
And this golden generation has certainly not got it easy.
But if all stay patient, the formidable talent of the likes of Gibbs-white, Foden and Hudson-odoi will force its way through.
The Premier League might be flooded with foreign players, but the future of English football is buoyant.
David Beckham was nearly 20 before he got his Prem debut