Nice piece in today’s Guardian about Archie Gray (by Ross Heppenstall) and well worth a read. Here’s a few snippets as a taster:
It is the end of a long day for Archie Gray and the 17-year-old is sitting in the canteen at Leeds United’s Thorp Arch training ground, reflecting on a rise that has marked him out as one of the best young prospects in the British game.
The boyhood Leeds fan has been at the club since he was seven, made the bench for a Premier League game against Arsenal aged 15 and is a regular in a side chasing an instant top-flight return.
Gray played alongside the new signing Ethan Ampadu in midfield before being switched to right-back in early October. It has not fazed the teenager, who says the on-loan Tottenham defender Joe Rodon has helped him adapt.
“It’s good to learn different perspectives of the game," Gray says. “Playing right-back is allowing me to understand the game even more for when I go back into midfield. You see players like James Milner playing different positions every game.
Deeply grounded but fiercely ambitious, Gray says: “My childhood dream was to win the Champions League with Leeds, captain England at senior level and win a Ballon d’Or. I’m still really young, so there’s a long way to go before any of that happens. But I believe I’ve got the ability to do it."
Archie Gray - Guardian today
posted on 8/12/23
thanks for sharing Light
love to read stuff like this, however I do always have a little sinking feeling in my heart when young players say "My childhood dream was to win the Champions League with Leeds/their club, captain England at senior level and win a Ballon d’Or" - because whilst that sounds brilliant its not realistic these days.. however he can't be saying "I want to learn my trade with the club I support, then transfer to City or Liverpool and get paid millions whilst winning things with a 50% chance I'll be on the bench"
but even today, football fans love to dream, so fair play
posted on 8/12/23
I think Archie is great for showing at a young age you can be good and he has enough in him to improve but he's not letting it go to his head!..
Well done to him, but I think that'll have a lot to do with his family and their ties with this club!..
As long as he keeps his feet on the ground and does his best, than all the best to him for his future and his dreams!..
posted on 8/12/23
It's been a great story. I would rather see him in midfield than right back but I think we'd have to change our formation.
Kamara and Ampadu have been amazing and we've yet to see Spence really.
Great problem for Farke to have.
Hope we have Archie for years to come.
posted on 8/12/23
What a talent.
And great kid. Hope we don't lose him in January.
We know the sharks are sniffing.
posted on 8/12/23
I hear this a lot about losing players in January but all our players are on contract.
It would be a huge failure by the 49ers to lose anyone this year.
Of course all bets will be off if we don't get promoted. My fear is Rodon gets called back to Tottenham or is that not possible?
posted on 8/12/23
Agree with Mont - I expect absolutely diddly squat will happen for us during the January window this season unless we lose players due to long-term injury or we're able to sign Joe Rodon permanently.
Might see a few fringe players like Poveda and Gelhardt going out on loan again or even moving on, but I can't see Marathe and co sabotaging the excellent progress made so far by selling Summerville. He'll be worth more if we go up again this season in any case.
posted on 8/12/23
Yeah, apart from cover for the obvious (LB), can’t see we need much else happening in Jan (obvs Rodon signing would be ab fab).
On another subject (didn't want to start another thread), just watched DFs pre-Blackburn presser on the OS … once again an absolutely sterling performance from DF and very pleased with the things he’s saying. Again, well worth a listen if you haven’t already heard it👍.
posted on 8/12/23
Here's a link to the article, if anyone wants to read it
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/dec/08/archie-gray-my-childhood-dream-was-to-win-the-champions-league-with-leeds