Ben Woodburn celebrates his debut goal for Wales against Austria
#4 The belief of his manager(s)
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Wales manager Chris Coleman had no concern in turning to Ben Woodburn
Ben Woodburn was actually included in the Wales squad for the qualifier against the Republic of Ireland earlier in the year, and while he didn't feature, his inclusion resulted in a club and country row between the two managers that was played out in the media.
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Jurgen Klopp didn't believe that Woodburn was ready for the international spotlight, and was disappointed that Chris Coleman had not consulted with him before including his teenage star in the squad. Coleman was bullish in rejecting the notion, explaining he had no reason to ask for Klopp's opinion on his squad selection.
But the row only emphasised how much both managers are keen to both protect and utilise Woodburn, and while Klopp and Coleman remain his respective managers for club and country, he will be well looked after. Both men appreciate his potential and what he currently has to offer, and while Liverpool are not currently as desperate for his services as Wales, there is no doubt that he will have a very bright future in both red shirts as he continues to develop and improve.
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About the author
Mark Pitman
As a freelance football writer, I have extensive experience of covering the European game for a wide range of top level digital platforms and printed publications.
I have performed a number of exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the football world, and have reported live from the finals of UEFA EURO, Champions League fixtures, Europa League fixtures, Women's Champions League fixtures as well as top international and club fixtures during the course of my career.
My role has enabled me to sit down exclusively with the likes of Thierry Henry, Edgar Davids, Gareth Bale, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ryan Giggs, Aaron Ramsey and many others to discuss their experiences of competing at the very highest-level.
For Sportskeeda, I will be taking a closer look at the stories behind the stories from across the European game, with regular exclusive features on the players, clubs and managers making the headlines.