Welcome Ira

Echo the above.a VERY switched on young man. Extremely impressive

I can’t believe I listened to a 46 minute interview, but I was enthralled. A really interesting listen if you haven’t heard it yet. Much better than the usual sound bites!

He’s articulate, grounded and yet supremely confident in his ability and ambition. We’ve got a real star on our hands if his words and passion translate into goals on the pitch.

It's an interesting look at the life of a footballer from a youngster through non league and how that works. Just seems like the type of person you want to do well, very well spoken and has an attitude you don't see very often among young people anymore. Very hard working and driven, doesn't expect to be handed anything, doesn't get down from failures. Respects his dad and sees importance in family too.

Spent the last 18 months watching/filming the lad and it's no surprise that he's got himself a move into professional football.

Can play on either wing or through the middle, although I felt he got lost the few times he played through the middle in a 3, spent all of last season wide right apart from a couple of games we had our centre forward out injured.

Scores with either foot but didn't score at all with his head last season. Knowing the lad that's something he'll strive to work on, he never stops trying to improve absolutely every area of his game. take free kicks with either foot. takes corners with either foot from either side of the pitch. Takes penalties (scored 5 of his 6 last season after he took over taking them) and incredibly he's even got a decent throw on him.

Personally I can only say he's been a pleasure to work with and made my job at Folkestone easy over the last 12 months, both with what he's done on the pitch and what he does off it, always happy to talk to us pre and post match and did a couple of bits with us during lockdown for podcasts and YouTube.

If he doesn't make it it won't be through lack of trying, he'll give absolutely everything to better himself and make the most of this opportunity. I've reservations about whether he can do it but I hope he does. If he's played wide you'll probably need a full back that can handle himself, although for us that was never a problem, especially as he kept scoring at the other end!

Although he's always trained himself on the schedule of a pro doing that with football league coaches who will hopefully have more time to work with him will help him flourish. I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for him.

Anyway here's a video I did with him earlier in the year talking about all the goals he scored last season (quality didn't come out quite how I wanted!)

https://youtu.be/N_6tmHD4pkc

Quoted from Obertan

Spent the last 18 months watching/filming the lad and it's no surprise that he's got himself a move into professional football.

Can play on either wing or through the middle, although I felt he got lost the few times he played through the middle in a 3, spent all of last season wide right apart from a couple of games we had our centre forward out injured.

Scores with either foot but didn't score at all with his head last season. Knowing the lad that's something he'll strive to work on, he never stops trying to improve absolutely every area of his game. take free kicks with either foot. takes corners with either foot from either side of the pitch. Takes penalties (scored 5 of his 6 last season after he took over taking them) and incredibly he's even got a decent throw on him.

Personally I can only say he's been a pleasure to work with and made my job at Folkestone easy over the last 12 months, both with what he's done on the pitch and what he does off it, always happy to talk to us pre and post match and did a couple of bits with us during lockdown for podcasts and YouTube.

If he doesn't make it it won't be through lack of trying, he'll give absolutely everything to better himself and make the most of this opportunity. I've reservations about whether he can do it but I hope he does. If he's played wide you'll probably need a full back that can handle himself, although for us that was never a problem, especially as he kept scoring at the other end!

Although he's always trained himself on the schedule of a pro doing that with football league coaches who will hopefully have more time to work with him will help him flourish. I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for him.

Anyway here's a video I did with him earlier in the year talking about all the goals he scored last season (quality didn't come out quite how I wanted!)

https://youtu.be/N_6tmHD4pkc

Thanks for the insight, really hope he kicks on and makes it in the professional game with GTFC...If Ollie and Limbrick can't progress him no one will ..it's in his hands to show the league what he's capable of.

Quoted from Obertan

Spent the last 18 months watching/filming the lad and it's no surprise that he's got himself a move into professional football.

Can play on either wing or through the middle, although I felt he got lost the few times he played through the middle in a 3, spent all of last season wide right apart from a couple of games we had our centre forward out injured.

Scores with either foot but didn't score at all with his head last season. Knowing the lad that's something he'll strive to work on, he never stops trying to improve absolutely every area of his game. take free kicks with either foot. takes corners with either foot from either side of the pitch. Takes penalties (scored 5 of his 6 last season after he took over taking them) and incredibly he's even got a decent throw on him.

Personally I can only say he's been a pleasure to work with and made my job at Folkestone easy over the last 12 months, both with what he's done on the pitch and what he does off it, always happy to talk to us pre and post match and did a couple of bits with us during lockdown for podcasts and YouTube.

If he doesn't make it it won't be through lack of trying, he'll give absolutely everything to better himself and make the most of this opportunity. I've reservations about whether he can do it but I hope he does. If he's played wide you'll probably need a full back that can handle himself, although for us that was never a problem, especially as he kept scoring at the other end!

Although he's always trained himself on the schedule of a pro doing that with football league coaches who will hopefully have more time to work with him will help him flourish. I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for him.

Anyway here's a video I did with him earlier in the year talking about all the goals he scored last season (quality didn't come out quite how I wanted!)

https://youtu.be/N_6tmHD4pkc

Thanks for that.

You mention you have some reservations- can you be any more specific?  Is there an aspect of his game you worry about or just the step up to league football?

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

Thanks for that.

You mention you have some reservations- can you be any more specific?  Is there an aspect of his game you worry about or just the step up to league football?

Nothing specific beyond probably a greater need to help his full back if he plays wide, but I've no doubt he'll do it if asked its just if it takes away from his game.

in general yes, the step up, big fish in a small pond to small fish in a bigger pond to use a cliche. he was the main man here for much of last season, although he forced the manager into making him so. he hit real form back end of the previous season but spent preseason elsewhere before staying, and started the season on the bench but forced his way into the side by coming off the bench and doing what he does: scoring goals and winning games.

obviously nothing in football is a certainty and I've seen much better footballers fall short but if he does it won't be for want of trying and dedication. if he does show what he can do you'll certainly have some excitement watching him.

Quoted from Obertan

Nothing specific beyond probably a greater need to help his full back if he plays wide, but I've no doubt he'll do it if asked its just if it takes away from his game.

in general yes, the step up, big fish in a small pond to small fish in a bigger pond to use a cliche. he was the main man here for much of last season, although he forced the manager into making him so. he hit real form back end of the previous season but spent preseason elsewhere before staying, and started the season on the bench but forced his way into the side by coming off the bench and doing what he does: scoring goals and winning games.

obviously nothing in football is a certainty and I've seen much better footballers fall short but if he does it won't be for want of trying and dedication. if he does show what he can do you'll certainly have some excitement watching him.

Fair enough. I suppose there is the point of having football league standard players as team mates might bring even more out of him, and of course he will have a top manager guiding him but, as ever time will tell.

Thanks again for the insight.

I think as we saw with Vernam, he won't have to worry too much about his defensive duties. His job will be to receive the ball and make something happen.

Thanks
Obertan.are you the bloke hed call at 7.30 on a  sunday morning to go through the video about the match?