READY FOR THE LIMELIGHT
Brown relishing chance to take to big stage and show Mourinho was right
AS a youngster, Isaiah Brown was the hottest of hot properties.
A top-flight debutant at just 16, in the process becoming the second youngest player in Premier League history, he was tipped for England honours by Jose Mourinho.
“If he does not make it, blame me,” was the Portuguese’s glowing verdict on the then teenager when in charge of Chelsea during the summer of 2014.
Three years on, however, and Brown is yet to live up to that early hype. A back injury during a year on loan at Vitesse Arnhem did not help, while Rotherham United’s struggles this season meant his five months at the New York Stadium brought 15 defeats in 20 appearances.
Now, though, Brown has the chance to step into the spotlight that seemed his destiny during those formative years at, first, West Bromwich Albion and then Stamford Bridge.
Huddersfield Town, enjoying their best season in 45 years, stand potentially just 180 minutes from Wembley and an appearance in a game dubbed the richest in world football.
Beat Sheffield Wednesday over two legs and the Terriers will edge that bit closer to glory and the cash bonanza that comes with prevailing in the Championship play-off final.
Even conservative estimates value victory on May 29 as being worth just short of £200m, underlining just how high the stakes are ahead of the semifinals getting under way this weekend.
The victorious players, of course, will eventually share in this new-found wealth, but, for now, it is the prospect of reaching the Premier League that is firing imaginations.
“It is going to be so exciting to be part of the play-offs,” Brown, on loan at the John Smith’s Stadium since January, told The Yorkshire Post.
“I have played in Youth Cup finals and Champions League finals (with Chelsea’s Under-23s). But they were nothing like this is going to be. Hopefully, we can win the semis, get to Wembley and then anything can happen.”
Brown’s career began at The Hawthorns, where he was quickly marked out as a special talent.
His first-team bow came at just 16 years and 117 days as a late substitute against Wigan Athletic in May, 2013.
Chelsea swooped just a couple of months later, West Brom being so upset that chairman Jeremy Peace threatened to scrap the club’s category one Academy due to Premier League rules meaning the fee was minimal.
Just one first-team appearance followed at the Bridge despite Mourinho’s early praise. A series of improving displays despite Rotherham’s troubles earlier this season could not mask the impression Brown had lost his way.
Then, though, came the recall to west London and immediate loan back out to Huddersfield.
“I couldn’t have imagined the season turning out like this,” said the 20-year-old. “Completely different to what I thought. I didn’t think this season could go so well.
“Starting at Rotherham, it was a struggle because we were losing games. But then I came to Huddersfield and, suddenly, I was fighting for something incredible. Now I am here and being part of this great moment is a good feeling.”
Brown’s displays for Town suggest a growing maturity for a player who, at Rotherham, often tried the ‘Hollywood’ pass or dribble when a more simple lay-off was available. One such unwise attempt led, ironically, to Huddersfield scoring against the Millers in September’s 2-1 win at the John Smith’s Stadium.
“I do feel to have grown as a player this season,” added Brown. “When I was younger, I would sometimes watch games pass me by. Now, I don’t feel that happens any more.
“I feel I can have a big influence on games and on the players around me. On the pitch, I do my best all the time and give 100 per cent for the team. Luckily, that seems to pay off.”
The value of Town’s loan capture of Brown became apparent immediately. Three goals were scored in his first four appearances.
A season-ending injury to Kasey Palmer, also on loan from Chelsea, further increased Brown’s importance due to him being the player who best fills the key ‘No 10’ role. He was badly missed during a recent five-game absence through injury, as underlined by head coach David Wagner’s side lacking the fluency that had so lit up the Championship in January and February.
“I knew with the injury when I would be likely to get back,” said Brown, whose first start once fit brought the only goal in a win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on April 25 that guaranteed Town’s play-off place.
“But, I still came back a bit sooner than expected. That is all down to me because I wanted to get back playing with the boys.
“Even if I had a little bit of pain, I wanted to be back involved. I wanted to play through that because I knew those next few weeks could be the best time of my career. I can’t wait for the play-offs to start.”
I feel I can have a big influence on games and players around me. Huddersfield Town’s loanee Chelsea striker Isaiah Brown.