PREM HAS TO GIVE YOUTH A CHANCE
Neil Moxley
SIMON GRAYSON was out of work during a pre-season for the first time in 32 years this summer – but it did leave him free to enjoy a great moment of family history.
The former Blackpool, Leeds, Huddersfield, Preston, Sunderland and Bradford chief relaxed away from the pressures of frontline football, and watched his son Joe step out for Blackburn Rovers.
Grayson Jnr, 19, made his debut for Tony Mowbray’s side against Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup.
And that made the Graysons the first dad and lad pairing to represent the Lancashire club in almost a century.
“It’s been strange,” said Grayson Snr. “After leaving Bradford at the end of last season, I worked it out and it’s the first time since 1986 that I’ve not been involved in a pre-season – either as a player or manager.
“The break has enabled me to attend a couple of music festivals, do some media work and, most importantly, I got to see my son Joe make his professional debut. Obviously, I wouldn’t have passed that up. But I might have been working myself.
“So it was great to be able to do the whole parent thing and watch him.
“He’s got a chance. That’s about as much as I can say. He’s grown up as a midfielder but he played in the centre of defence. He’s only 19 but is over 6ft tall and is a very good passer of the ball.
“Joe’s a different type of player to me.
“I had the dedication to make it as a professional, and I’m sure he has as well.
Huge
“It’s pleasing for the family to see him come through.
“I’m also pleased that it’s at a proper club like Rovers, and that he’s working for Tony Mowbray, a manager who has always been prepared to give younger players a chance.”
Last season Grayson started out at Sunderland and ended up at Bradford City, where he ultimately turned down a two-year deal and started a sabbatical instead.
Grayson said: “I didn’t have a great start at Sunderland, and can’t pretend otherwise.
“But there had been a THE architect of Belgium’s Golden Generation believes that England are building something special.
But Michel Sablon also warns that this country’s young stars could fall by the wayside if they are marginalised in the Premier League.
Sablon set in place the youth system that brought through the culture of losing football matches, and it takes time to turn around a club as big as that.
“There were still 31 games to play after I was sacked, and I’m confident that with the squad we had we would have kicked off this season still in the Championship.
“The club was relegated anyway, so the change made little difference in itself.”
Grayson is at pains to point out that in no way is he having a go at Chris Coleman, who was handed the permanent job after him... and then left when the club went down.
He said: “The expectation at Sunderland is not that the club should be in the top half of the Championship – it’s that they should be in the top half of the Premier League, at least.
“And that’s right because it is a huge football club.
“I’ll never change my view on that – it was a privilege to manage them.
“But the reality was that the squad was finding its feet and it didn’t happen quickly enough. It would have turned, I’m convinced of that.”
Despite difficult spells with the Black Cats and Bantams, Grayson, 49, boasts an average points tally north of 70 per likes of Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku.
“I see similarities between what you’ve done and what we did with Belgium,” he said.
“Generally, you need 10 years to make a real difference. We were lucky that we had some exceptional players who came along and sped up that process.
“Establishing a way of playing is essential – it’s what we did in Belgium. We played 4-3-3 and season. That’s play-off form. He added: “I’ve got close to 700 matches under my belt as a manager but feel as enthusiastic as I did when I first stepped into the Blackpool dugout.
“People will say Sunderland was not a success. But the problems there show it was far from an easy job.
Fabulous
“I’ve had promotions at four different clubs – Blackpool, Huddersfield, Preston and Leeds. Not many can say that.
“At Preston, I spent £20,000 on Jordan Hugill and the club got £9million for him from West Ham.
“I brought in Greg Cunningham and he left for Cardiff for £4m.
“It was a tough decision for me to leave Preston, a fabulous football club. But once Sunderland came calling, it turned my head.
“I’m now refreshed, and looking forward to getting back in there.
“I feel like I have got unfinished business.” we did that across every age group. It was very difficult, but once you play the same way at every age group then it becomes second nature to you.
“It is something that England are doing brilliantly in age-group football.”
The Three Lions built from the back consistently in Russia, starting with Jordan Pickford between the posts. In John Stones, Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire, they then had defenders who were comfortable on the ball and capable of picking a pass. “There is no more kick and rush, there’s a system, a way of playing and it’s working,” added Sablon. “Look at what England achieved in age-group football in 2017, it’s amazing. But what is important now is that these young players get game time.
“If you’re not playing then you’re going to fall behind.
“For the English players it’s essential that if they’re not getting a game in England, that they go abroad.
“If they stay in the Premier League and don’t play, they will lose that ambition, that fire.”