Leeds United: Whites’ young talent shines through
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00:00 Well, one final topic to go through and that is just a look at some of the Leeds United youngsters.
00:05 Yes, the future.
00:06 Yes, indeed, of course. We don't know what that future is at the moment in terms of what division the club will be in next season,
00:13 but Leeds do have some exciting prospects in their ranks at the moment.
00:18 Obviously, we've already mentioned Archie Gray on a number of occasions this season,
00:21 but he does have a brother, someone who you've mentioned, as well as Charlie Crew as well.
00:27 So why don't you dissect their future prospects?
00:30 Well, it feels a little bit sort of like almost like the subject that you don't want to mention,
00:35 Harry Gray, his little brother, because he's so young and that you don't want to big him up too much,
00:38 you know, when he's still only 15.
00:40 And Daniel Farker said in one of his presses recently,
00:42 he sort of said about how when a young player comes through the ranks at Leeds,
00:45 all of a sudden he's the next best thing since sliced bread and he's going to be a world beater and this, that and the other.
00:49 So, you know, we'll tread carefully with it and stuff.
00:51 But, you know, obviously people do get excited by youngsters coming through the ranks.
00:56 It's what it's all about. It's why clubs have, you know, great academies and Leeds have always had one of them.
01:00 And they've got some very good young players coming through.
01:03 And I've only seen bits and bobs of Harry Gray, but what I've seen of him, he looks like a real young talent.
01:07 Obviously, he scored a brace for the under-18s against Derby and both of them goals were fantastic.
01:12 And he almost seems to be scoring every time he's playing at the moment for the under-18s.
01:16 The interesting thing with him going back a few months ago, Eddie Gray was interviewed for one of the Leeds games.
01:22 I think it was the cup game and was asked about Archie.
01:25 But he also mentioned Harry and he sort of said, you know, I suspect him to join up with the first team squad soon,
01:29 which is quite exciting, really, given how young he is.
01:31 So when that will be remains to be seen.
01:33 I mean, you've got to go one step at a time because he's still only with the 18s at the moment.
01:36 And as I say, he's still only 15.
01:37 But there's no doubt that he's very, very exciting for the future.
01:41 Two years older than him is Charlie Crewe.
01:43 That one's a bit more obvious because Charlie's already made the bench on three occasions, the first team bench on three occasions.
01:48 But, you know, Wales under 21 already, midfielder.
01:52 The question with him is what sort of midfielder will he be, really?
01:54 Will he be sort of like a CDM or an eight or, you know, maybe even a number 10 in time?
01:59 But I think he's probably got the ability to be able to do all those as he matures and sort of fills out a little bit.
02:05 He's definitely an exciting talent.
02:06 And it was quite interesting that I found some coverage at the EFL Awards where a football manager spoke to both Archie Gray and Christ Enzio
02:15 Sumerville and pretty much asked them what we're saying here, what players are there to look out for.
02:19 And Archie said Charlie Crewe, but also his younger brother, which is probably not really a surprise.
02:25 But then he did sort of say, like, I shouldn't be bigging him up because he's my brother.
02:27 But at the end of the day, I have to because he is very good.
02:29 So he said for some time it's their dream for them to play together for Leeds.
02:33 And, you know, there'll be no surprise.
02:35 And let's hope that happens.
02:36 Obviously, you know, a while to go yet.
02:38 He's not even got into the 21s or onto the first team bench.
02:41 But a striker, a forward, Harry Gray looks a very, very exciting talent.
02:45 As I say, Archie mentioned Charlie Crewe and Harry Gray.
02:48 And Sumerville also said about Charlie Crewe as well.
02:51 So that's two players.
02:52 Both of them have mentioned him.
02:53 So there's no doubt about the esteem that he's held in.
02:55 So there's some good young players.
02:57 Josh McDonald's a young winger that every time I've watched the 21s and whatnot, he's always looked quite good.
03:01 A young Scotland youth international from Hamilton.
03:04 He looks like a player with a future.
03:06 But it's a big, big step up, you know, even to go from 18 to 21 and then 21 even to first team bench.
03:11 But I don't think there's any doubt whatsoever about Harry Gray.
03:16 He's, from what I can tell, he looks like a seriously, seriously talented young player.
03:20 And Charlie Crewe, you know, he's already on the first team bench.
03:23 That says it all about them.
03:24 We've had Archie Gray come through already.
03:26 So the future looks very, very bright.
03:28 And you would say as well that not just in terms of we can talk about players coming through the academy.
03:33 When you look at the players that are already in Leeds United's first team, you know, they have got a very, very young, very young squad and young side.
03:39 And it's just hoped that that inexperience doesn't prove the difference really in terms of them missing out on promotion.
03:45 But you go through him in Archie's obviously only 18 himself.
03:48 I mean, Somerville 22, Matteo Joseph 20, Nonto 20.
03:51 You know, there's a lot of young talent in there that, you know, you sort of forget how young these players are.
03:56 So whatever happens, whether it's Premier League or Championship, the future should be very, very bright.
04:01 Obviously, the caveat to that will be if they don't go up, then how many of these players will they be able to keep?
04:05 And that is football and that's the business that we're in.
04:07 Somerville would be top of that list, obviously, you'd be worried about.
04:10 But, you know, the future looks bright.
04:11 They've got some very, very good young players.
04:13 And, yeah, the cat's out the bag a bit, I think, with Harry Dre.
04:15 I don't think people can pretend he's not there anymore because he's a very exciting young player.