Potential Future BPL stars: PART II: Pogba and Wickham

Continuing with my look at the future of the English game, this second article of a close season scouting series looks at the two promising young teenage players that are highly rated in the football world.

For the first part of the series, Click here

Paul Pogba, a French sensation on the verge of breaking into the Manchester United first team, and Connor Wickham, the Ipswich Town teenage striker, are two players that could take the Barclays Premier League to a new level for years to come. Ladies and gentlemen, let us all earnestly wait for these two talented athletes to give English football a new dynamic feel, a sense of youthful enthusiasm and above all huge commercial ratings, all for the sake of the beautiful game.

PAUL POGBA (MANCHESTER UNITED RESERVES)

Future Star

Aged 18 and born on the outskirts of Paris, Paul Pogba signed for Manchester United on October 6, 2009 after a much talked about transfer saga involving United and French Ligue 2 side Le Havre. Le Havre reported the Red Devils to FIFA on suspicions of illegal tapping up of Pogba when he was just 16 but the situation was subsequently resolved under the watchful eyes of the world governing body with both clubs reaching an agreement to come to an amicable solution. Yet the wrangle over the transfer of the U-16 and U-17 French international proved the worth of the player.

So, what kind of a footballer is Paul Pogba?

Picked up by Le Havre chief scout Franck Sale from the sleepy Parisian suburb of Lagny Sur Marne at the age of 13, Paul Pogba is being likened to former French international and Arsenal legend Patrick Viera with his playing style. Built like a tank and with a commanding aerial prowess, the French teenager could easily be a star in the making under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson and his youth team support staff. The young Pogba would be a versatile footballer in United colours in the near future, rest assured Red Devils fans. With his built, the charming Le Havre academy product could operate both as a defensive cover and a midfield dynamo but with his powerful attitude at such a young age, Sir Alex might have unearthed a future central defensive player with an uncanny attacking mindset who is ready to be a part of the Old Trafford folklore for many years to come. In the words of Mr.Sale, “Pogba is a powerful and commanding player who is still good at moving with the ball and dribbling. You can see a mix of Patrick Viera and Abou Diaby in him.”

A regular with the reserves, Pogba has shown remarkable ingenuity and Gallic authority on the pitch in reserve team games this year and ofcourse in the FA Youth Cup with some imperious performances, particularly at Stamford Bridge in the FA Youth Cup semi final first leg when he single-handedly masterminded a stunning fightback from 2-0 down against some of England’s more accomplished and experienced youngsters before losing 3-2 ahead of a second leg clash at Old Trafford come April 20, that vindicated Sir Alex Ferguson’s desperation to sign the French prodigy from Le Havre at such quick time even if it warranted a FIFA investigation.

For a man of Sir Alex’s legendary reputation, the signing of Paul Pogba from under the noses of Arsene Wenger is a major achievement in United’s youth development policy given the Arsenal’s manager’s command over the French football’s youth system for the past decade or so. This could be a major shift in the French youth’s mindset. Arsene Wenger, for over many years, had been and is still now the main attraction for talented French speaking African and native Gallic players to come to England to ply their trade but Pogba’s unusual yet predictable liking of Manchester United could be a precedence for future French players to come to North West England rather than North London but for now all eyes would be on the United reserve player who is set to be tested in the somewhat tempestuous and demanding English Premier League in the coming seasons.

Watch Paul Pogba’s wonder goal against WBA:

CONNOR WICKHAM(IPSWICH TOWN)

Is he the new England star?

17-year old Ipswich Town striker Connor Wickham is a prodigious talent and the likes of Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool and Everton have set their sights on acquiring the services of the England U-21 international in the coming season. Nurtured by Ipswich manager and former Wigan boss Paul Jewell, the 6ft 4ins tall striker is already being compared with England striker Wayne Rooney and his boss feels that it is a matter of time the former Reading player would see Premier League action, whether it would be next season or the season after that is another matter but the Npower Championship club has rated Wickham at a 15 million pounds price tag.

Town boss Paul Jewell has admitted that he is struggling to keep his star forward at the club as top Premier League clubs have shown major interest in the player for the forthcoming season. As far as the player is concerned, Wickham is clearly at ease at the speculation surrounding his future and as of now has committed himself to the cause of Ipswich Town. The player was quoted as saying, “To be that highly-rated is amazing, but all I can do is keep working hard on my football.”

“I am signed to Ipswich for the next few years, and I am concentrating on that.

“I want to work hard for Ipswich and get them to the Premier League. Hopefully we can do that.

“This season is really going to plan,” he added.

“Last season ended on a high and the start of this season didn’t get off to a great start but it is nice to get back on track and achieve what I have this season.

“To play football for England, and to win the awards I am winning, shows I have the right people around me – I am taking all the advice on board and using it to my advantage.”

Connor Wickham is a boyhood Liverpool fan with Fernando Torres as his hero and the boy certainly has enough confidence in him to get into a future England senior squad. His fine individual winner against Spain at the final of the U-17 European Championships held in May, 2010 in addition to the two goals he scored against France in the semi-final was the hallmark of a great international player and Fabio Capello would do great to groom this rare talent.

Built like the Bosnian international Edin Dzeko, Connor Wickham is a player whose playing style also resembles to that of Liverpool’s big signing forward Andy Carroll. Generally used as a target man, Wickham is naturally good in the air and has tremendous pace going forward, certainly a perfect fit for the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool.

Watch Connor Wickham in action: