Football fans up and down the country have only really just welcomed the 'Beautiful Game' back after the summer break and all the financially lucrative nonsense that plastered the headlines, but fresh from the domestic return and the closure of another big spending summer transfer window, fans are again twiddling their thumbs as we had to endure the first international break interruption of the year.
As the Premier League went on hiatus again for a fortnight it was on the back of two teenagers stealing the top-flight headlines as Liverpool's Rio Ngumoha became just the second 16-year-old talent to ever score in a Premier League match in their clash with Newcastle United, following in the footsteps of striker Wayne Rooney all those many years ago.
Ngumoha made history just two days after Arsenal had allowed incredibly highly rated 15 year old, Max Dowman, to become the second youngest player to feature in the top flight, as he made his debut in their game against Leeds United and for those fans who get a VPN online before the next round of fixtures are with us, they can watch on to see if they both get the nod and make back to back appearances.
Whilst they are the new flavours of the month and have more than had their moment in the headlines, football fans will be very aware that potential does not always equal sustained success, or even a steady career in the game, as history is littered with former highly rated youngsters that hit the Premier League with a huge splash and then almost as quickly disappeared as they had arrived. Liverpool and Arsenal fans will be hoping that the same fate does not await either Nguhoma and Dowman, but names like Jose Baxter and Federico Macheda will be very familiar to them.
We all know the potential pitfalls that can hit, and sideline, young talent, whether that be injury, the discipline needed for life as a top footballer, or simply too much money too soon that becomes a distraction and effects their motivation and focus, and it is fair to say that clubs are now far more better placed to deal with these issues than they were in the past, as overall player care has been significantly improved in more recent times.
With the topic of young players making a Premier League splash being back on the agenda, renowned mentor and qualified coach Steve Sallis recently popped up in the press to reflect on his experiences of helping to guide a youngster through the football pathway.
"Young people don't see pressure, I have never met one who has. The less they think about it at that age, the better. The key is making sure safeguarding and welfare is in place. There are lots of reasons why they may not fulfil their early potential. Having worked with clubs and organisations like Uefa, player care is a big deal nowadays compared to how it was 10 years ago."
Sallis also works as a PE teacher and has worked with the likes of Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham, new Arsenal winger Eberechi Eze and Liverpool's Joe Gomez and he understandably pointed out that players who go on to have good careers in the game are usually those that more quickly develop a good work/life balance, and are able to switch off from the game and form their own strong identity outside of football, which obviously involves friends, family, and an educational focus so that there is more to their lives than just kicking a ball about.
