Posts Tagged ‘Chelsea youth’

Focus on Youth #2 Josh McEachran

One of the stand out stars from a torrid pre-season was the emergence of Josh McEachran to the Chelsea senior side during the pre-season friendly.

Josh McEachran is a 17 year old midfielder who has been at the club for four years and has made 4 first team appearances during the pre-season calendar.

Appearing in first and reserve team fixtures during this period, his level head and skill have gained him the attention of Chelsea fans for the first time.

Having won the FA Youth Cup last season and being part of England’s u17 European Championship winning side, he has achieved great success in his formative years having already travelled with the first team prior to his mini breakthrough in pre-season.

Whilst there is much maturing to be done, it is clear he has the potential to be a star and for this reason he is the focus of our 2nd focus on youth.

Focus on Youth – Player #1 Gael Kakuta

There are not many 18 year-old footballers who have received as much media attention as Gael Kakuta has, still only a fledgling talent, the acrimony over his move from Lens garnered the club and football plenty of negative attention and threaten to derail Kakuta’s career with a lengthy ban.

Fortunately sense prevailed and the transfer and playing bans imposed were overturned on appeal, during the furore the youngster also made his first team debut.

Fast with quick feet, he is undoutably an exciting player and his perfomances at youth and low key senior level have been thrilling to watch.

With an ageing squad and a policy of sustainable transfer development, it is important to the fans and the club that talents such as Gael have every chance to succeed at the club and break the prolonged cycle of youth failure that the club endured.

Hopefully this will be the year when we read about the coming of age of Gael Kakuta and a host of other fledgling Chelsea starlets.