Is Viktor Gyokeres ready for the Premier League?

Summary

The Athletic FC Podcast: Is Viktor Gyokeres Ready for the Premier League?

Release Date: November 7, 2024

In this insightful episode of The Athletic FC Podcast, host Ayoa Kimwlere delves deep into the burgeoning career of Viktor Gyokeres, questioning whether the prolific striker is poised to make a successful transition to the Premier League. Joined by esteemed guests Mark Carey, Liam Tharm, and David Norvo, the discussion navigates through Gyokeres's impressive statistics, his developmental journey, and the strategic implications for both Sporting Lisbon and potential Premier League suitors.

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1. Viktor Gyokeres: An In-Form Striker

David Norvo opens the conversation by highlighting Gyokeres's extraordinary goal-scoring spree:

"[03:57] ... 23 goals in all competitions already running in November, the start of November for Sporting Lisbon this season, seven goals in just five days as well."

Norvo emphasizes Gyokeres’s status as arguably Europe's most in-form striker, noting his exceptional "average goals per 90 minutes in Primeira Liga this season, it's 1.6 goals per 90, which is quite frankly ridiculous and quite frankly unsustainable." Despite a significant number of penalties inflating his numbers, Norvo commends his "elite finishing" and ability to outperform his expected goals, positioning Gyokeres as a standout talent on the continent.

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2. Career Trajectory: From Brighton to Sporting Lisbon

The conversation shifts to Gyokeres's career path. Having initially struggled to find his footing at Brighton, Gyokeres made a pivotal move to Coventry City before securing his current form at Sporting Lisbon.

Liam Tharm provides context on Gyokeres’s development:

"[08:32] ... sometimes players need to develop at different rates, develop in different environments, go and play in different leagues under different systems."

Tharm underscores the non-linear progression of Gyokeres's career, suggesting that his time in Portugal was crucial for his maturation as a striker. The move to Sporting Lisbon allowed him to become the main man, honing his skills and building the confidence necessary to excel at higher levels, particularly in the Champions League.

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3. System Fit and Tactical Synergy at Sporting

A core part of the discussion revolves around how Gyokeres's playing style synergizes with Sporting Lisbon's tactical setup. The departure of key midfielder Amarin raises questions about Sporting's immediate future and Gyokeres's continued performance.

Mark Carey offers his observations:

"[16:54] ... Victor has to stay until the end of the season and then his life is going some maybe somewhere else."

Carey reflects on Gyokeres’s adaptability, noting how Sporting Lisbon's system, which emphasizes direct play and utilizes quality center-backs adept with the ball, complements Gyokeres’s strengths. The strategic interplay between Gyokeres and his teammates has been pivotal in his goal-scoring exploits, though Carey's remarks also hint at potential uncertainties post-Amarin’s exit.

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4. Premier League Prospects: Readiness and Challenges

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to debating whether Gyokeres is ready for the Premier League. The panel assesses his physical attributes, technical skills, and psychological preparedness for one of the world’s most demanding leagues.

David Norvo raises pertinent questions:

"[17:25] ... would Premier League defenders be able to cut out his space and disrupt his runs?"

Norvo acknowledges Gyokeres's ability to adapt but remains cautious about his transition to the Premier League, where defensive rigor and tactical discipline are paramount. The consensus suggests that while Gyokeres possesses the raw talent and goal-scoring prowess, his success in the Premier League would heavily depend on the tactical framework of his potential new club and how well he can integrate into a more physically and strategically intense environment.

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5. Sporting Lisbon’s Strategic Decisions and Future Outlook

The podcast also touches upon Sporting Lisbon's strategic decisions regarding player development and transfer valuations. With Gyokeres's rising stock, the club faces crucial decisions about retaining their star striker or capitalizing on his market value.

Mark Carey discusses the implications:

"[33:59] ... Dominic Solanke obviously is somebody I worked with when he was younger and then his journey obviously was a little bit different."

Carey draws parallels with other players who found their footing in different leagues before making impactful Premier League moves. He emphasizes the importance of opportunity and the right environment in a player's development, suggesting that Sporting's nurturing of Gyokeres sets a precedent for identifying and fostering talent that can compete at higher levels.

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6. Comparisons to Other Strikers and Player Development

Drawing comparisons, the hosts and guests analyze how Gyokeres stacks up against contemporary Scandinavian strikers like Erling Haaland and Rasmus Hojlund.

David Norvo cautions against direct comparisons:

"[41:52] ... it's a very risky thing to do."

Despite some stylistic similarities, Norvo highlights Gyokeres’s unique attributes, such as his ability to exploit wide channels and his versatility in attacking positions. Meanwhile, Mark Carey introduces Darwin Nunez and Marcus Rashford as more fitting comparisons, focusing on their physicality and movement rather than superficial traits.

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7. Chris Wood: A Parallel of Late Bloomers

The episode briefly explores the career of Chris Wood as an example of a late bloomer, emphasizing the significance of finding the right system and managerial support to maximize a player’s potential.

Liam Tharm comments:

"[39:09] ... Chris Wood's another example of a late bloomer."

This comparison serves to underline the notion that player development is highly individualized, and success often hinges on external factors such as club environment and tactical alignment.

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8. Conclusion: The Road Ahead for Viktor Gyokeres

As the podcast nears its conclusion, the panel reflects on Gyokeres's remarkable journey and the factors that will influence his next career move. The overarching sentiment is one of cautious optimism—recognizing his current form and potential while acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead in higher-tier competitions.

Mark Carey summarizes:

"[28:01] ... he's got a great talent and he's adding numbers and I think you have to sit up and take notice when people are scoring."

The episode wraps up with a call to listen to forthcoming previews, including an upcoming match between Liverpool and Aston Villa, promising continued coverage of Gyokeres's career trajectory and its broader implications for European football.

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Notable Quotes:

• "[03:57] ... he was the most in-form striker in European football right now." — David Norvo
• "[08:32] ... sometimes players need to develop at different rates, develop in different environments..." — Liam Tharm
• "[17:25] ... would Premier League defenders be able to cut out his space and disrupt his runs?" — David Norvo
• "[41:52] ... it's a very risky thing to do." — David Norvo
• "[28:01] ... he's got a great talent and he's adding numbers and I think you have to sit up and take notice when people are scoring." — Mark Carey

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This episode provides a comprehensive examination of Viktor Gyokeres's current form, his developmental milestones, and the strategic considerations surrounding a potential Premier League move. For listeners keen on understanding the complexities of player development and transfer dynamics, this episode offers valuable insights backed by expert analysis and firsthand experiences.

Transcript

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[The Athletic FC Podcast Network]

The Athletic FC Podcast Network.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Ayoa Kimwlere here and welcome to the Athletic FC podcast. As demonstrated in the Champions League this week, Victor Jochares is European football's in form striker.

[Mark Carey]

The man who scored four here on.

[Liam Tharm]

Friday and the league has got a.

[Mark Carey]

Hat trick in the Champions League tonight.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

So after failing to break through at Brighton, could Yokares finally be ready for the Premier League? I'm joined by the Athletics, Mark Carey and Liam Tharm for this one, as well as David Norvo from the Portuguese publication Record. Mark, you've written about Jokers on the Athletic today, fresh from his hat trick against Manchester City. I feel like I've been hearing about him for a while, but just how impressive is his goal scoring output right now?

[David Norvo]

Yeah, I mean it's pretty bonkers is the only way I can sort of describe it. It's 23 goals in all competitions already running in November, the start of November for Sporting Lisbon this season, seven goals in just five days as well. He bagged four goals at the weekend or last Friday in the Primeira Liga. So I wrote about him, I said that he was the most informed striker in European football right now. I think that's fair to say. I think that there's a healthy smattering of penalties in there as well, which is a little bit of a caveat, my usual caveat, as you know me well enough now IO to to not be too sensationalist. I think that he does have a fair amount of penalties in there to inflate numbers a little bit. But it's still brilliant. It's still fantastic. You look at his his average goals per 90 minutes in Primaria Liga this season, it's 1.6 goals per 90, which is quite frankly ridiculous and quite frankly unsustainable, I think it's fair to say. But his, his finishing quality, which we'll come on to, is brilliant. It's fantastic. He over performs against his expected goals which points to some elite finishing, which is A massive strength of his. But the numbers this season and last season as well were brilliant. And just to sort of, you know, add a bit of context to the wider top seven European leagues, only Harry Kane has matched him so far this season for goal involvement. So goals and assists, that's 17 in total. So I don't think it's. Yeah. Outrageous to say that he is Europe's most informed striker right now.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Yeah. David, good to have you again. You're becoming our sporting expert this week. Thanks for joining us again. But you know, he only moved to Sporting at the start of last season and he came from Coventry City and we'll go into that in just a second. But like, this is a player that scored 67 goals in 66 games. Has he surpassed the expectations of Sporting fans since he's arrived? But also this season he's looked phenomenal. Is he better than last season?

[Liam Tharm]

Well, guys, thanks for having me. I think we should have a Portuguese podcast version of this for every week to talk about, about different players and coach now. It's. It's a pleasure to be here. Well, regarding G. The thing is, Mark spoke about the numbers. I'm. I'm not going to speak about the numbers again, but the numbers are, are amazing. When he made the first season, of course, that impact that he had here, we didn't know who Victor Gilkers was, a player from the championship. Of course, the first thing that people thought about was the money. He was an expensive player in terms of Portuguese football at 20 million with €4 million of add ons. So it's the most expensive player from sporting history. So when you have that kind of money involved, the first thing that people do, especially the fans are, even press pundits, is like, who is this guy? Is he worth it? And of course he started to score some goals and now then you see, okay, this guy can do things here in Portugal. And the first season was like, impressive. And the thing is, we thought that he was leaving in the summer with the numbers that he had. But then there was of course that connection with Hubert and Mourinho. And the agent said, if Ruben is staying, Victor is staying, like that type of agreement. But now Juban is leaving and that's why Man United links and stuff like that. The thing here in Portugal before this season starts was is he good enough to score also in Champions League against the biggest clubs? I think that the statement that people needed was against Man City. Of course, just to give you guys an example, I know that it's not the most important Thing but he had like almost 2000 followers more on Instagram since the match against City. So like people knew about him. Okay, this guy scoring a lot of goals in Portugal Sporting with this guy. But that match, that hat trick against City was like a statement like top level striker in terms of what he can do here in Portugal Champions League and maybe now some those war with war with some doubts maybe thought okay, this guy can play at the Premier League.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Yeah. Liam David makes a really interesting point there actually in terms of people knowing about him. I mean I my ears were pricked when obviously there were links to him potentially going to Arsenal last season. So I've just kept a really close eye on, on his progress. But you've kept a close eye on him since his time in Brighton and this is not a player necessary that's had such a straightforward path to well where we see him now is it?

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No, it's a great example of non linear development. He came to Brighton in his late late teens from Sweden and looked often said he, he looked like a man playing sort of 21's football. He was really physically developed. It's sort of the, the strength you see to his game now where he can be powerful. He's a really strong runner. He beats defenders for pace. When he gets in behind, he can hit the ball really, really hard and still with good accuracy. And I think it's an interesting point now to hear about him and the connection with, with Reuben Amarin because it was a different I suppose situation with Graham Potter where stylistically they just weren't really an ideal match. Graham Potter came in after Chris Hewton was sacked at the end of 2018-19, right at the time that Djokovic was breaking through the 21s, the Brighton 21s got promoted to the, to the PL2 Division 1. And at that point it was Jocores and Aaron Connolly both sort of fighting for the number 9 spot. Often Jocorez box that wide on the left as a sort of a right footer, as a winger because Connolly was just a more rounded striker. And there's a game I remember in the League Cup I think in 2020 where he played against Portsmouth for the first team. Never played a Premier League game but. But played in this and he just struggled technically because Graham Potter wanted a number nine that could drop in play back to goal link the play. Never really liked wingers in the system end up with a system that sort of played wing backs and Leandro Trossard was once a wing back in that. So it was a real shame in. In that. That it just didn't quite work. And I think it meant that at the time it was actually probably a smart move for him to have a good couple of loans. You know, in two different countries, two different leagues in systems and in styles, Coventry especially. That really, really suited him. Again, another back three another team that played really well on transition. So for better or for worse, it just didn't quite line up. But I think there's a. You know, there's a real pride at Brighton in that they're able to develop players of a certain quality. You look at the other players from. From that age group with Jocores Conley, Rob Sanchez was in that age group. Benjamin White, Leo Ostergaard. So you're talking about lots of players that have gone on to league sort of Champions League level and then being able to adapt and play sort of different systems under different coaches elsewhere.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

I think Liam makes a good point there at David in terms of where he's flourished as a player. Yokares systems that really suit him really well. Obviously Amarim is now looking to join Manchester United in the Premier League and Yokaresh is the Champions League leading goal scorer right now. I mean where he goes next is almost inevitable. But I think what's more important is that that system also needs to fit him to get the best out of his style.

[Liam Tharm]

Yeah, true. I think that he jokers and supporting were like the. The perfect match the way that supporting plays and for Victor the long balls especially because Sporting has center backs. We are who that are really good with with his feet to consolidate the passing ability. Also Yeoman also really strong progressing with the ball and maybe you saw some, some. Some Victor goals, progressing with the ball, dribbling one, two, three players and then scoring goals. But of course that was the last season and this season it seemed like the perfect machine. Sporting who wouldn't design the team. Not a perfect team but a really, really strong team where of course Victoria makes a difference because he scores the goals, he makes the. The assists. Of course that makes him the. The most important player. I think that Liam spoke about one thing about the Brighton the chapter also other clubs inning. I think that he maybe Victor needed this context needed this these two seasons here in Portugal so that he can develop as a player. Become a player ready for. For the Premier League. Maybe he wasn't ready at the time. I know that he was playing at the championship with Coventry. Maybe he was just one more player. Maybe he needed this type of context where he's the key player, he's like the star player. He's the player that well, he plays all the matches, says that he doesn't like to rest. So I think that he this step backwards of course, coming to Portugal from the Champions League Championship where you are so close to the Premier League, of course maybe he was a step back, but to a bigger club of course. And maybe, I don't know, it's. It's hard to, to say things what if he stayed? But of course I think the difference is maybe if Victor stayed in in compete in the Championship, maybe he could go to the Premier League, but not a top level club. And now with the two seasons here in Portugal, I think of course he's ready and able to Tottenham, Arsenal, United, who knows, even Newcastle, I don't know. Premier League has a lot of clubs like the top six of it. So maybe he needed this specific environment to develop and to become one of the best strikers in Europe. And now of course it's going to be expensive. Of course, maybe two years ago a Premier League club who paid like what, 30 million, 20 million for him and now they have to pay 70, 80, 90, 100, I don't know. But I think that sporting was like the best decision he made. We have to enjoy it here because we know that of course it's impossible to keep him for one more year. It's this season and now and then he will leave for sure.

[David Norvo]

You're listening to the Athletic FC podcast with IO Accamulere.

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[Mark Carey]

Go.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Carez is amazing.

[David Norvo]

Seven goals in his last two games.

[Mark Carey]

Are you tempted to bring him with.

[Chase Advertiser]

You if you can?

[Liam Tharm]

No, no, no, no. I cannot. I cannot. I cannot be funny with with that in this moment. It was tough for me to leave if I'm starting joke talking about that with your cares. I have problems. This is my city, this is my country. So I will respect. Victor has to stay until the end of the season and then his life is going some maybe somewhere else.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Yeah, Mark, we've just heard about whether or not he can do well in the Premier League. But I guess what about sporting for the immediate future? David, I'd love to hear your perspective on this in just a second but now Amarim has left Mark. Do you think it could still thrive in the same way?

[David Norvo]

Yeah, I mean David covered it very, very well. I think that those direct balls to Jacares are key to his skill. Set. I think that sometimes the opposition plays into his hands a little bit too much in playing in a high line. I think I said in the piece as well, you give him space to run into. He will not only expose the space, but he will exploit the weaknesses of the opposition and make sure that he gets a shot away as well. So I think that's one of his main skill sets, running in behind. He loves to run into those channels. He does it on both sides as well. So it's not just like he's a one trick pony. And if you can maybe block off the, you know, the left channel, then you can stop him. He goes into both channels and you'll shrug off the defenders really, really well. Again, I use some examples of that, both in the Primera Liga, but also in the Champions League as well. So it shows that you can do it on, on different levels. But I think my question as well, if you were to move to, to a different league, to the Premier League, is against those kind of stubborn defensive blocks and those elite stubborn defensive blocks where they give him a little bit less space to, to run into those channels or a little bit less space in the box where he likes to maybe, you know, shuffle his feet and get a shot away. Would that maybe be something that there's still question marks over? Right. I think that, to David's point, I think that the quality of the championship isn't too dissimilar to, to certain teams within the primari League. Of course there's the, the three teams who are elite looking more towards the, the bigger European stage. But I think still question marks as to, to whether or not he can still do that more because of the way that defenders can stop him. I think his skill set is, is capable of, of adapting. But when you've got someone of a certain quality trying to cut out those channel balls and cut out his space and maybe you think of maybe a back three, you can just man mark him, make sure that you mark him out of the game, which I believe he struggled with at times at Coventry. I still think there's question marks there.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Yeah, David, now Amarim isn't at Sporting. Will he still be as prolific?

[Liam Tharm]

Difficult question. It's a lot of question marks here in Portugal regarding the new Sporting. Of course the team is the same, the players are the same. The next manager is someone that also plays with the same system. The thing is the idea of supporting, and I think it's a good one to make that soft transition from one coach to another, but it's not open it's. It's another coach. It's not proven. No one is like Ruben. I think that Sporting will play basically the same. Gjokrick is going to score a lot of goals until the end of the season. I don't have doubts about that. But of course it's not the same. Of course it's not. It's not Hoover. It's just that I'm not making comparisons with the new coach. But it's not Hoben. It's not the same connection with the players with. At least we don't know yet how he's going to be. But I think that he will keep scoring until the end of the season. I don't have doubts about that. I think he's going to finish this season with stats better than the last season, especially in Champions League nights. I think that of course that Champions League thing also a motivation for. For him. Then in January, of course, the transfer market thing, the news regarding a possible exit to another club. It will happen. Of course. Portingo's already said the president that he's not leaving in January, but if the money's good.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Yeah, yeah.

[Liam Tharm]

Of course you cannot say he's staying for sure if a Premier League club. I know that the January transfer market, it's a little bit special in terms of big, big businesses. You have Hanzo Fernandez from Benfica to Chelsea. But I think that was like the World cup effect. I think that Sporting can keep him in January, but of course that month it's a lot of transfer news like every day, especially regarding the Premier League and not only in the Premier League. I saw some reports associating Victor with Barcelona, for example, also Napoli last season. So it's not just going to be Premier League clubs. I think it's going to be like Serie A, Liga, Spanish clubs. But I think he's staying until the end of the season and then of course in December. It will depend the, the, the offers, the money involved, the add ons, the, the players involved and of course that United link. We have information here in Portugal from sources close to Victor that Victor sees United as. Not as one of his priorities, but he feels the club that is unstable. And maybe the information that we have is that he prefers other Premier League clubs, top clubs. But of course with Ruben there, if Ruben calls, of course in the connection that they have, I think that you're not. If United wants to sign Victor, they have of course a strong word on, on it. So it will depend if Ruben wants to. To sign him or not.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Okay. Brilliant stuff, David. I know you're on your holiday, so we'll better let you go and enjoy the sunshine and some nice food, man. You've been working hard this week for us.

[Liam Tharm]

Thank you very much. Thank you.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Well, joining us now, having worked closely with Victor Jochares during his time at Coventry City, is Coventry's former assistant manager, Ad Vivas. Ad. So good to have you. Thank you so much for your time. Now, having worked with Victor during his time at Coventry, what did you make of his hat trick against City in the Champions League this week?

[Mark Carey]

I thought the start of the game was quite interesting. It looked quite a lot like a few of our games in the championship because with C dominating possession, Vick's first few touches, I'm sure he would have preferred them to be a little bit crisper, but he made the first run when he got through 1v1 and he tried to dink the keeper. He did exactly the same against Vincent Company's Burnley in an away game in the Championship. Exactly the same run, clear, nobody near him. And should have gone round the goalie that time, but he kept doing it. I mean, you know, he'll keep making those runs because he's. He started out as a left, wide left, really left forward. He loves that drifting run across the back line, which means his runs in behind defenders that are high are always very good. The movement's really good. The confidence obviously has grown a lot, which it should have with what he's done in Portugal. But I like the penalties. That's. That's the bit for me, the confidence to go both ways against, you know, arguably the best goal in the world. So it was a great night for him, great night for Sporting and yeah, it was, it was nice to see him do so well on that, on that big stage.

[Liam Tharm]

Yeah.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Now we've spoken about, you know, what kind of striker he is and he's style and you've just alluded to the way he loves to run across that backline as well, you know, And I'm thinking even with Coventry, there was potentially, if not for the playoff defeat, that he could have been playing in the Premier League at some point. Right. Are you. Were you surprised? He went to Sporting and there weren't many firm offers in that respect coming from Premier League teams or were there?

[Mark Carey]

In fact, no, I'm not surprised that he went to Sporting, I would imagine. I don't know for a fact, but I would imagine there were Premier League interest. He had interest from lots of countries and lots of teams. The thing with Vic is he's very individual. So the reason it didn't surprise me because I think his dad would have been heavily involved. He's a big role model for him. I think he speaks openly about that and the people that go after him. His agency obviously advised him very well because I think he's a very clever move. For Vic, the worry would have been going into the Premier League and being a little bit like he was in that first season with us and at Swansea in the championship four years ago. Now he's just playing certain minutes off the bench. He wouldn't want to have gone back to that. So the chance to establish himself. Also, he's not English and a lot of people found this strange that he went to another European country. Well, I didn't because he's from one. So I think it was a clever choice and I think there would have been Premier League interest. But I think that probably this deal was probably sorted quite early, not between the clubs, but as we know, these things happen in football. And I think he probably was aware of Sporting's interests very early. Probably when our season really started to kick off in that second half of that year, to get to the playoff final, if we'd have gone up, who knows whether he would have stayed, but I think he probably had his heart set on it and it turned out to be an outstanding choice for him and also for Sporting.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Yeah, Liam, you know, we've referenced his time at Brighton and we know of Brighton's recruitment. Often not many mistakes are made there, you know, sometimes more than often making players better and then obviously moving on. But would you say that Jokeresh at Brighton was probably one of their dud moves in terms of perhaps timing as much as anything?

[Chase Advertiser]

No, I think. I think dud move is harsh. I know from sort of speaking to Mark about some sort of loans pathway stuff, he's doing that. It's really easy to sort of look at this retrospectively and assume that Vic would always turn out to be the player that he is now. But sometimes players need to develop at different rates, develop in different environments, go and play in different leagues under different systems. There is then the critique of perhaps Graham Potter as a head coach was a little bit dogmatic in the way that he wanted to play, but at the same time actually managed to progress Brighton over a few seasons, where Victor then went and played elsewhere. So I think actually part of a good recruitment setup is knowing when to keep a player and when to sell them or when to sort of send them out on loan. I think obviously Brighton probably be A little bit upset retrospectively that there's a player that's going to go in and you imagine amass quite a bit of money in sort of transfer revenue over a period of time. And of course there's goals and a goal scorer that they didn't have for a few seasons, seasons. But no, I think, you know, Bloom, based on the, the spending this, this summer window is doing all right sort of financially.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Mark. You know, it's not uncommon for players to go to certain clubs and not do well. You know, you think about Mo Salah at Chelsea, then goes to Roma, becomes a bit of a star there, does really well and obviously comes to, comes to the Premier League. It's fair to say that sometimes players just kind of need to find their way, the right system to shine before we actually see them really achieve their.

[David Norvo]

Full potential, I think so. I think the, the example of Salah is quite a pertinent one because it was never about his quality at Chelsea. It was about him getting minutes on the pitch and the people that he was behind and to the guy's points. It seems like maybe early on in Jaco's career it was the fact that he wasn't getting consistent minutes and then he obviously got that at Coventry and now he is the main man at Sporting. So I think that it's about being able to show your quality across a consistent period, which as I say, he's now got. But I think in general just the, the experience of him going away to a different league, having experience of another league, another challenge, another country, another style of football as well, just to make you into a more well rounded player and trying to problem solve throughout the season with different challenges. He's obviously now got experience in the Europa League and the Champions League. All these things help you to become a more well rounded player. And if he does come to, to the Premier League, then all of that experience will stand him in good stead. Same with international football as well. So I think that's definitely the case. I think again, I can always feel myself being ever slightly negative when we talk about it, but I do think it's pertinent as well to discuss the Primeira Liga and the competitiveness issue that it has. I think there's a lot of inequality in that league and we think about where he's moved to Jacares, I think it's not too dissimilar in terms of the quality of some of the opposition to a championship side and I think that there's, I think some statistical research to show that the teams at the bottom end of the Premier League are not dissimilar from a league one side. So he's bullying a lot of defenders. But again you think about that, that move maybe to a top five European league which he's still yet to play in, let alone the the Premier League. And I think it is still worth noting that his numbers need to be contextualized in the the bracket of the team that he's playing. I realize I say that then you know in the same week that he's played Manchester City and he scored a hat trick. So of course it's not to say that his quality is, is not of a very, very high level. But you know all of those contextual, you know, to make him the well rounded player that he has clearly become. Still only 26 as well, he's about to enter his peak years or he's currently in his peak years as well. So if anyone were to to want to look to buy him, they would get a lot of value for quite some years.

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[David Norvo]

This is the Athletic FC podcast with IO Akamolera.

[Mark Carey]

Will you beat a couple?

[Liam Tharm]

Oh it's super.

[Mark Carey]

It's is stunning.

[David Norvo]

It is what he is capable of.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Ad I'm just wondering you know in in seeing how he's flourished at sporting whether or not Premier League teams should have a bit more faith in in in shopping in the championship for for some of those players as you know, because the quality is there. There's a certain group of players that are ready to step up to the next level.

[Mark Carey]

Yeah, I agree with the points that were just made about Vic and and there will always be a a question mark out. I Suppose until he does go and play in either the Premier League or, or Serie A or, or one of these, the Spanish, you know, league. If he goes to one of leagues and continues to hit the numbers then you know, the argument will obviously grow in a different way for him. You know, Dominic Solanke obviously is somebody I worked with when he was younger and then he, you know, his journey obviously was a little bit different. Bigger club, club goes to Bournemouth, tears up the championship, goes into the Premier League and in the first year didn't really hit massive numbers. Top, top player always was just needed opportunity and then the second year at Bournemouth gets him the move to Spurs. There are some very, very talented players playing the championship. Yes. And it comes down to opportunity. The same as the gentleman we were talking about before, he didn't get the opportunity at Brighton, he got the opportunity at Coventry and that, that led him to being where he is now, sporting the opportunity to be the number nine, the main man. He's developed that because as I said, he wasn't a number nine. So he's had to work very hard. He's not a natural finisher. For me, I've worked with several that are very natural. He's not. So that's great credit to him for improving that area of his game and certainly hitting the numbers he's hit. But I remember when Ern Haaland was breaking all these numbers before he came to the Premier League and saying, well, is he going to carry on doing it? And he has, I'm sure that the game the other night against Man City and no disrespect to the 17 year old center back playing for City, that was always going to be a tough ask for him. But I think Sporting have got Arsenal, aren't they coming up? So if he goes to the Emirates, plays against Saliba, you know, and that physical specimen of Gabrielle, who obviously are as good as there is in Wilford, but at the moment you think then that will add either positive or negative to the argument. But there's definitely good enough players in the championship and he was one of those who deserve the opportunity. And if it comes in the future, he'll, he'll certainly give it everything he's got, that's for sure.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Just before you go, I'm just wondering when we're talking about players getting minutes and needing minutes, was there a moment at Coventry where I guess you just thought, well, it's clicked, we get it now, we, we see where this lad is going. But also in your time in football, you know what what is that? Je ne sais qu, perhaps that you see in certain players that you go, do you know what? With a bit more time, this lad's going to make it to the top level.

[Mark Carey]

Yeah, I think it's all different for every player, to be honest. But they're all different. I think if you make them individual. Vic's big change was the fact that Coventry bought him. He'd been to Swansea first half of the season, came to Coventry, was on the bench for us a little bit, played in certain games. He scored a couple of big games to keep us in the championship that first Covid year. But he was bought in the summer. He came back, first day of preseason and all the coaches, myself, Dennis Lawrence, we could see the difference in him. He just looked a different person. Bags of confidence had obviously been alluded to by the club that he was going to be the main man, he was going to play nine. We had Matty Godden, who was obviously a top, top championship goal scorer at that time, playing extremely well. So there was periods again where he was fighting, but he was, he. He earned the faith that he got in him and he just started to terrorize championship defenses. And for two years he just got better and better. He worked very hard. You know, if you leave a high line, I say this all the time, if you defend on the halfway line against someone like Vic, he is going to keep running in behind. He may miss one or two chances, but he'll make the run 13, 14, 15 times. And for defenders, that's very difficult to deal with. So the power, explosive pace came to the fore. The fact that he liked to drift into wide areas bought him time, bought him space. We weren't very hard on him. On tighter areas, he's back to goal, so he could use that running across the line if you like. He scored a goal in the Champions League, I'm not sure against this year. Reverse across the defenders and right foot curls in the bottom corner. Those type of movements. We worked very hard with him on. He wanted to have the space to be able to run into which I fully understand. Top part of his game heading. We tried to improve that with him. He was a really interesting character person to work with because he was so driven. Obviously I'm a driven coach. I've been fortunate to work with some top, top players. I used to remind him of that for a giggle. He'd say, well, I'm better than them. So we had a good bit of banter while the time was going on, but it was a very challenging Coach to player relationship. And I've spoke to him a little bit this week in the build up to it because of articles and people asking you like this to talk about him. He was. He nicely confirmed to me that he felt it was fair what I was saying about him, which for him is a big praise, but the opportunity to play at the level and to show what he was about, the confidence has always been there, but that running power is definitely geared to Premier League football. The back to goal and some of the things again, the other night against Man City, I'm sure he still has to keep developing because you're playing against bigger and stronger center back in Europe and in the Premier League now. So they won't. I agree with the gentleman again, he won't get that in the Portuguese league all the time, but you can only play against what you're playing against. And I think what he's done in the Champions League so far will certainly have given him even more confidence. He's a. He's a really nice lad, very humble, works extremely hard. His game will be out there until you have to drag him in. Didn't really like tight possessions, but he love finishing, so I'm sure he's got better at rondos or boxes, whatever you call them in Portugal. But he's. He's got a great talent and he's adding numbers and I think you have to sit up and take notice when people are scoring. I'm assisting a lot, which is a facet of his game. He's developed and certainly our goal in the playoff final when he picked Go Sameer out was typical of how he developed in that season as well into looking for his teammates as well. So love working with him. Great talent and it's lovely story to see somebody develop a little bit later in a little bit of a different way, because everybody's different.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Yeah. Well, I'll tell you what, with that explanation, Eddie, you've just raised his price. Bidding war begins. Here we go. Cheers, mate. Honestly, thanks so much for your time. Really lovely in depth. Look at Victor Yokoresha, his time in Coventry as well. Thanks.

[Mark Carey]

You're welcome. Thank you.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Yeah, Liam, I mean, it's so interesting with your careers, you know, sort of taking his time to find, you know, where he needs to be to be considered as a. A Premier League player. And he got us thinking about a player right now who's doing really well, actually. Chris Wood. Not many people would have called him to be second in the. In Premier League charts for top goal scorers this season. But also a player that's been a bit of a journeyman. He's done the rounds. I think it's around 13 clubs or so he's played it. Tell us a little bit about him. And you know, I guess sometimes it just takes a bit of time to find a situation that really clicks for you so you can really thrive.

[Chase Advertiser]

Yeah, it's another great example of sort of timing and having the right managerial setup around you, I think so again, Chris Wood's another great example of a late bloomer. Even more so than Victor. I think Griswood had five different loans so really went around when he first got to West Brom and sort of really settled at that Burnley team obviously helped was flying at Leeds and then got picked up by Burnley. Suited really in the team environment that he was in. A really good sort of crossing team, quite direct team, didn't press sort of too intensely compared to other sides. And I suppose that is very similar to what we're talking about now in terms of jockers and having the system really, really sort of built around you. And I think Chris Wood's now interesting and I did a piece in him that's gone out this morning. I was sort of fascinated by his movement and the way for. For a big guy, he scores a lot of goals and an awful lot of space, a lot of one touch finishes for his shots generally as well as for his goals. But he gets away from defenders really easily. And I went that must be hard to do as a big guy where defenders want to get tight to you. And I realized I'm sort of watching a lot of them back. He takes up these really interesting offside positions a lot in build up where a lot of other strikers or coaches want their strikers to drop in to link play and to try and be an option. He's not doing that. He stood behind the defenders and it's once that back line then drops deeper and tries to cover him, then he'll move again and again. And it's probably that as an example of the sort of movements I think Jocko would have to refine. They're the movements that probably aren't naturally his strength. And it was quite an interesting comparison. Where would I think it was after the Leicester game on. On Sky Sports when he scored a brace. Gary Neville or Jamie Carragher, I can't remember who it was, was asking him about being sort of similar to Harlan, that physicality. And he said actually it's not really part of my game that sort of suits me that I had to Learn to. To be more like that. Not naturally a big guy or naturally a big guy, but not naturally someone that gets on top of people, wants to really be physical and grapple. So it's interesting for players to sort of understand their bodies and the leagues that they're in and, you know, the strengths that they've got. So I think for your sort of seeing him in an environment where he maybe has to be a bit more technical, clever in tight spaces would. It's the next level of his game, I think, to add.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Yeah, and I guess Chris Wood is also blessed by the fact that he's a bit older and, you know, you're learning that skill. You know, I think what's fascinating with Chris Wood is that there are certain things that he probably isn't good at. Speed, for instance, but it's that game intelligence that really makes him a smart striker.

[Chase Advertiser]

Yeah. First couple yards in your head, that's what it is.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

I like that. Mark. I guess I want to finish on this with you, really. When it comes to Jokeresh and the fact that it's very likely that he'll be compared to a couple of other Scandinavian strikers in the Premier League, Haaland Hojlund as well, I probably don't think he's similar to Isak, but in terms of Haaland and Hojlund, any comparisons we can see in terms of their stock style.

[David Norvo]

So not. Not looks then. Not the fact that they are both blonde.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Not blonde.

[David Norvo]

Scandinavian chiseled gentlemen. No, aside from that, I do think. I mean, Liam and I were talking about this morning in terms of the gait, the way that he holds himself when he's running in at full speed. I think that that sort of hunched gate that he has is quite similar to Haaland. I think stylistically, as I mentioned before, it's more the case that Jacares likes to run those channels and go more into wide areas and pull wide. Whereas we know that Harland, especially for Manchester City, likes to stay more between the width of the goal post, low volume in his touches and make sure that he just gets on the end of things, which I suppose you could argue with. Jacarez does sort of do similar in that regard. He runs the channels really well, but he's not one to. To drop in and you sort of your modern day number nine become a bit more of a false nine drop into to get involved in buildup and things like that. There's. There's parallels there, but I do always find it interesting. I mean, I did a piece last this. This time last summer about Rasmus Hoyland. And I think that a lot of people were asking him, do you see your game as similar to Harland? And I always think those comparisons are just a little bit unfair because you are your own player, you are your own person, you have your own style. So I think just because it's a Scandinavian person, it's very tempting to do that. The Scandinavian striker, I should say. But I mean, we saw with Hojlund as well, everyone was sort of hyping him up. He showed a lot of promise, Atalanta, but. But he has struggled for various different reasons at Manchester United. So I think sometimes when you're maybe being as we often are, a bit sensationalist about strikers and saying that they are the next big insert X player here, then I think it has to be met with a bit of caution. And we have had a bit of caution and context to Jacarez's game in this podcast. So I guess to answer the question, overall, I do see some similarities in terms of his physicality. His strength is. Yeah, his gate, as I mentioned, but there are some. Some subtle differences. But the. The final thing I would say is let's try not to compare him directly aside from this week because they played each other directly, but let's try not to compare because it's a very risky thing to do.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Well, one missed the penalty and one score too. So.

[Chase Advertiser]

Despite Mark saying not to make comparisons, I just want to jump in with the. The two players that you think he's most similar to. Darwin Nunez, who of course came out of the Fre Liga as well to the Premier League very much as that can be. Slightly clunky off the left, good sort of powerful finish, great runner and probably in the Premier League currently. He's got a lot, a lot of Rashford in his game, I think really sort of similar. Can mix between the nine and playing off the left really good in those spaces. So, yeah, I think people might profile him because of who he is rather than how he actually plays. But I think there's quite clearly a place you look at the, you know, a lot of the teams now playing with wingers in sort of that inside forward type mode. He's definitely the profile I think people will be looking at.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Yeah, don't speak about Rashford because you know those Manchester United links will always start with those rumors.

[Chase Advertiser]

It's not my fault. It's not my fault. Don't listen to me.

[Liam Tharm]

Jets.

[Ayoa Kimwlere]

Honestly, I really appreciate your time today. Mark, Liam and also AD who joined us earlier as well. The preview will be with you tomorrow. Looking ahead to Liverpool. Welcome in Aston Villa to Anfield on Saturday. We'll catch you soon.

[David Norvo]

You've been listening to the Athletic FC Podcast. The producers were Guy Clark, Mike Stavroot and Jay Beal. The executive producer was Aidy Moorhead. To listen to other great athletic podcasts for free, search for the Athletic on Apple, Spotify and all the usual places.

[Chase Advertiser]

The Athletic FC Podcast is an athletic media company production.

[The Athletic FC Podcast Network]

The Athletic FC Podcast Network.

[Aura Advertiser]

This podcast is brought to you by Aura. Imagine waking up to find your bank account drained, bills for loans you never took out, a warrant for your arrest. All because someone stole your identity. Hackers aren't waiting. Why are you? That's why we're thrilled to partner with Aura. Your personal data is a goldmine for hackers, and Aura helps lock it down. Aura monitors the dark Web, blocks data brokers from selling your information. Includes a VPN for private browsing and a password manager to secure your accounts before criminals break in. For a limited time, Aura is offering our listeners a 14 day free trial plus a dark web scan to check if your personal information has been leaked. All for [e-mail] safety that's aura.com safety to sign up and start protecting yourself and your loved ones, that's aura.com safety terms apply. Check the site for details.