HAIL THE SECOND COMING OF RYAN GAULD
Old coach Houston delighted to see ‘Mini Messi’ on rise again in Portugal
WHEN Sporting Lisbon unveiled their latest kid for fame in July 2014, the boy known as Mini Messi was pictured in front of an image of a young Cristiano Ronaldo.
So confident were the Portuguese giants that Ryan Gauld, a £3million signing from Dundee United, would be a huge hit they included a hefty £48m release clause in the Scottish teenager’s six-year-contract.
But Gauld did not turn out to be the latest gem to emerge from a conveyor belt that has produced or polished talent like Ronaldo, Paulo Futre, Joao Moutinho and Nani.
By contrast, his former flatmate and ex-Tannadice team-mate Andy Robertson has gone on to win the Champions League with Liverpool and also captains his country.
Another close friend, John Souttar, stars for Hearts and Scotland. But Gauld’s time at Sporting Lisbon ended a year earlier than planned last summer following an anonymous, injuryplagued loan spell at Hibernian.
However, those who view ‘Mini
Messi’ as the failure of that group of United kids are now being invited to reassess their view after Gauld helped unheralded Farense win promotion to the Portuguese Primeira Liga.
The team’s top scorer with nine, when the LigaPro campaign was called early last week with Farense in second place, the reinvigorated Gauld has beaten his previous record of eight goals in his final season at Tannadice.
Peter Houston gave the little attacker his senior debut for Dundee United at Fir Park back in May 2012 and enjoyed watching him prove his doubters wrong.
He is delighted to see his former protege doing that once more and backed him to prove his class on his return to the Portuguese top flight next season.
‘I remember giving Ryan Gauld his debut on the last day of the season at Motherwell a few years ago,’ Houston told Sportsmail.
‘Our kitman, Ian McIntyre, did not have all the sizes available as the campaign was nearly over.
‘When I told Ian during the week that Gauldy would be on the bench, he told me I couldn’t pick him as he didn’t have a jersey small enough to fit him.
‘When I went to put Ryan on during the second half, the fans behind us in the stand at Fir Park thought we were putting the mascot on because Gauldy was drowning in a large, long-sleeved jersey. It was almost like: “Look at that wee boy going on”. We were laughing too because the jersey was miles too big for him.
‘But when he went on, right away you just knew he was going places. He took to it like a fish to water. That was May and when I left United the following January, Gauldy broke into the first team regularly under Jackie McNamara.
‘It can’t have been easy going to Portugal with a big release clause in his contract. It was a brave move to make as a young player. It’s great to hear he is doing well and his team has won promotion to the top flight in Portugal.’
After leaving Sporting, Gauld surprisingly opted to remain in Portugal because he felt he had not accomplished what he wanted when he moved there in 2014.
Now playing as a narrow leftsided midfielder in a 4-4-2, he is showing the precocious talent that earned him his infamous nickname.
‘I wasn’t bothered by it but you see it on social media — “This guy was meant to be Mini Messi, look at him now”,’ he said last week.
‘All that kind of nonsense. The name didn’t bother me. It was just when people read that they judged me a little quicker and expected more. The first time I read it I was laughing. John (Souttar) and Andy (Robertson) cut it out of the paper and stuck it in my room. I was 17, delighted to be playing football every day and in such a good United team. I had nothing to complain about.
‘Now I’ve had 24 games on the trot (for Farense), my longest run of consecutive 90 minutes, most goals, longest time without injury — exactly what I was needing.’
Houston believes Portuguese football and Gauld’s precocious talent — allied to him growing up physically — is a match made in heaven.
‘Gauldy’s ability always stuck out a mile,’ recalled Houston. ‘He trained with the first team at Tannadice long before he made his Dundee United debut.
‘You could tell he was talented because the first-team boys were raving about him from the off.
‘Back then he was the size of tuppence ha’penny but he has grown up. He’s a man now, he’s living his life in the right manner over in Portugal and he’s not picking up injuries.
‘I was interested in seeing how he got on at Hibs last season but they weren’t going through a great time then and Ryan was also struggling with injuries.
‘But I’m absolutely delighted to see him fully fit and kicking on in his career with Farense.
‘I do think the Portuguese league suits Ryan, perhaps more than the hurly burly of Scottish football. It’s more technical and tactical. It’s maybe not as passionate as Scottish football. I think Rangers beating Braga in the Europa League recently showed us that.
‘Good luck to Ryan. He comes from a really good family and he’s got a great attitude. I’m sure he will be a success back in the Portuguese top flight.’