Football: The Journey of a Coach

31. Young Academy

“You said the young player numbered 7. ” Matthew Lawrence stares, he feels that Daniel is interested in the black player.

" Yes, his dribbling speed doesn't lose to Moses....". Before Daniel finished speaking, the black boy finally passed the ball to the middle after dribbling and breaking through. The Palace striker followed and sent the ball using his head to the opposing junior team's gate.

"Great work! Nice work!". Crsytal Palace fans immediately stood up and clapped their hands excitedly. "Pretty. Nak. "

After the Palace fans celebrated the team goal, Daniel resumed his words.

" And also the child has footwork that is not owned by Moses, the skill to process the ball is good. "

“ That striker, how do you think about him ”. Joey feels the goalscorer deserves to try.

"Well, the header was pretty good. But his running position still needed to be improved, he had to strengthen his response ability. " Daniel assesses young striker Crsytal Palace, frankly the response and direction of reading the game is poor, as the striker is very important to read the direction of the opponent's position. Crsytal Palace's young striker is still under Jamie Vardy who has only played half a professional season.

" Is that so, I think being able to score is good. " Joey said, he who has only ever played in amateur teams does not know much about good players.

" Goals are important, Joey, but how to create chances is important. Football is not only in by one person sometimes in the spotlight only those who score goals, forget the other 10 people who have struggled to create one goal. " Light Daniel at length.

Matthew Lawrence, who is a defender, feels firsthand how defenders are usually rarely appreciated.

Crystal Palace's junior side finally won the match 3-1.

" Should see Steve, Daniel. " Tanya Joey, the one who put Joe Allen into U-18 Crsytal Palace, was already familiar with the youth training ruler.

Steve Higham is the director of Crystal Palace Youth Academy, he was a former Crsytal Palace player in the 88-95 season. After retiring at Palace, Steve joined Palace's staff and two years later was appointed Crsytal Palace's U-18 coach until now.

" What do you think the number 7 player is Lawrence? ". While walking into the youth training building, Daniel asked Lawrence.

    

" At that age he had good dribbling, fast dribbling and good foot technique. But it's a pity he likes to play alone, and has no team awareness ". Lawrence Analysis.

Although Lawrence is now a player and assistant coach, he is very serious about becoming a coach. After retiring next year, he is gearing up to take up a coach certificate.

Daniel just nodded in understanding, again quietly listening to Joey and Lawrence discuss about who the number 7 back player was.

It just so happened that Steve was in his office, so the three of them were immediately told to come in by him.

" Daniel, what a pleasant surprise". Steve is a little surprised to see the Palace young coach coming into his office now, he has also known Daniel's name since Warnock first brought him to Crsytal Palace.

But it was only this first time that they spoke face to face, as Daniel who was a technical assistant coach rarely dealt with young training camps.

   

"Sorry Mr. Steve, come suddenly without first notifying." Daniel approached and shook hands with Steve Higham.

After greeting each other, the three of them sat down. Of course Steve Higham knows Daniel's situation, "It doesn't matter Daniel, come whenever you want. Crsytal Palace Academy will always welcome you ".

"No, Simon Jordan was a couple of years old

    

Moreover, U-18 does not mean the player has reached the age of 18 years. Among the young players in the youth training center, the slightly prominent 16-year-old could enter the 18-year-old echelon.

Steve Higham recommended some young players and took out their profiles with their photos.

Daniel caught a glimpse of the black boy in the field today, "Who's this little guy's name ?!"

"Wilfried Zaha's. " Steve looked at him and said, "Gary said this little guy is really nice. Unfortunately, his team's consciousness was relatively poor, and his small body did not seem to be strong enough. Of course, I still think that if he can get the right guidance, and a lot of flying hours. Zaha will be a good player like Victor Moses. " Gary is Gary Isolt, assistant head coach of the U18.

“But if this child's style of play continues to play alone and addicted to fancy moves. If he does not change after teaching repeatedly, he will not be able to achieve many things ”. Steve tells Daniel the history of Zaha's game.

" Is that so. " Saut Daniel. Hearing Zaha's name, Daniel recalled a future memory. Wilfred Zaha was produced by the Crystal Palace youth academy. Zaha then played for Manchester United in his 20s, but he knows that Zaha failed to impress Air Alex Ferguson and was sold back to Palace two years later.

" Let Joe Allen and Wilfred Zaha come into the main squad. The team needs them now. " Said Daniel.

On the way home, Daniel thought about his next game against west Bromwich Albion.

"Daniel, isn't it too soon to bring Zaha into the first team. What about Moses. " Ask Lawrence.

" Moses may not be playing for Crsytal Palace long " . Daniel samar said.

***

The next day, Joe Allen and Wilfred Zaha who were accompanied by his father to Beckenham training headquarters. Yesterday Zaha was told by coach Steve to come to the main squad, Zaha was very happy to go crazy. To this day, his mind was still immersed in immense excitement.

Zaha's family is from Ivory Coast, but Zaha grew up in Croydon. Like Moses, he entered the Crystal Palace Youth Academy at the age of 12, but he was different from Moses. A genius produced for Crystal Palace training youth, at such a young age had already joined the main squad.

And Zaha was the same age as them, but he did not have such treatment, and had lived in their shadows Moses, how could it not be jealous.

“At last anyone knew what to do. ” Zaha thought so, he always felt stronger than the two of them, why did others look down on him. Maybe someone else is blind.

Wilfred Zaha has always been very confident, he is not very popular on the youth team and has an independent style of play, but he just likes to excel and likes movement, and no one can do anything to her.

How could his father not understand his son?. The old Zaha who had experienced the world better understood that no matter how good his son was, if no one gave him a chance, then everything was in vain. One day his son will still disappear from everyone .

"Remember, you must be humble and polite! You must ...". When the training base arrived, Old Zaha was unwilling to babble.

"understand, understand! Daddyh. " Zaha didn't want to hear it at all, he was also embarrassed that his father had come along. Unlike Joe Ally who was alone, so he directly got out of the car with his bag and walked to the gate of the training base.

At the entrance Sean Derry was already waiting for the two of them. For the players who made their debut in their own youth training, Derry as captain should be here. Zaha and Joe also greeted the captain politely. Derry smiled then began to introduce the team situation to the two of them while walking.

Zaha listened in a daze, and found something was amiss as he followed Derry. Unlike the flat-faced Joe Allen from the beginning of his arrival.

As a student of the Youth Academy, Zaha felt he should be given special treatment. Even the coach did not look at all, whether Mery underestimated him.

"Didn't I have to go see Daniel. Shouldn't be the coach talking to me. Even a little push is okay". Zaha felt that the first thing Daniel had to do was call him, then chat about a lot of things about the game.

But all he got was this old captain, maybe the guy next to him Joe Allen was enough for this reception. He Zaha felt slighted.