Koeman encouraged by 'big talent' Lookman

Lyndon Lloyd Thursday, 16 February, 2017 16comments | Jump to most recent

Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Ronald Koeman says that Ademola Lookman's early impact at Everton since arriving from Charlton is an indication that if you're good enough, you're old enough.

The 19-year-old was signed from League One Charlton Athletic last month for an initial £7.5m fee that could rise to £11m and made an instant impact with a debut goal just minutes after coming off the bench against Manchester City.

Lookman had been expected to be eased into the first team, perhaps by way of David Unsworth's U23s side but he has already made two senior starts and impressed both fans and manager alike with how well he has adapted to the Premier League.

"I'm not surprised because I am watching him in training every day," Koeman, told evertonfc.com. "He now knows what intensity he is up against and the quality of the players around him.

"It's a big challenge for Ademola but he is doing well. He is the future of the club. He's a big, big talent who is working hard to improve, like everybody."

The London-born forward is breaking into the team at the same time as two more Blues youngsters in the form of Tom Davies, a year his junior, and 20-year-old Mason Holgate.

Dominic Calvert Lewin, also 20, meanwhile, travelled with the first team squad to Dubai this week having recovered from the ankle injury he sustained on his own full debut against Southampton at the start of the year.

They are at the forefront of a promising crop of young players at Everton who are ensuring that the club's future looks very bright.

"Ademola is a good example in that if you are good enough you will play and there are others here like him who will get their chance if they keep working hard," Koeman continued.

"It's very encouraging. The club has some good, young boys coming through and as a team that's exactly what we want."

Reader Comments (16)

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Tony Hill
1 Posted 16/02/2017 at 06:52:44

Yes, he's a sensible boy; some way to go yet, I think it's plain enough to see. He has a reasonably substantial price tag on him so one would expect delivery on that over the next year or so.

Kenny Smith
2 Posted 16/02/2017 at 07:08:24

The fact that he's spent time playing Sunday league football rather than growing up being lauded in an academy is a massive plus. It'll keep his feet on the ground and he'll know what it's like in the real world. I think you can see this already in the boy.

John G Davies
3 Posted 16/02/2017 at 07:09:56

Looks a very good player in the making.

Articles like this put to bed the fallacy that Koeman won't use young players. That and the fact that he has played more teenagers this season than any other Premier League manager. Long may it continue.

And thank goodness Koeman is an average manager, a tactical dinosaur who Barcelona would never be interested in.

Joe O'Brien
4 Posted 16/02/2017 at 07:39:53

Over the next couple of seasons we could have Joe Williams, Liam Walsh, Matt Pennington, and Calum Connolly in the match day squad, along with Tom Davies! That's some talent coming through. A massive praise has to go to the underage management... Unsy and Sheedy.

I was losing patience with Koeman before Christmas for I thought he wasn't one for giving the young talent and chance, but he clearly is with Davies in the team and now the high praise of Lookman, who has something special about him. We're lucky to have both on our books.

Jason Barker
5 Posted 16/02/2017 at 07:41:04

I watched him last October playing for England against Germany U19s in Huddersfield. He was head and shoulders above anyone else on the park. Scored and set one up for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who scored a brace.

I commented on social media at the time to a mate that Ademola was different class so I was made up when he came. Ooses quality.

Mike Berry
6 Posted 16/02/2017 at 08:45:07

Ron does not talk them up unless they're very special.

Additionally we have some exceptional youngsters who, as Rons says, if they work hard and progress, then they have a chance of breaking into the first team. Obviously those who are not ready will have to work to get in.

We have some exciting times ahead.

Chris Gould
7 Posted 16/02/2017 at 10:04:07

It's exciting to see kids getting first team action, but only one of the 4 mentioned actually came through the academy. It sends out a message to the most talented youngsters that if they come to us they have a chance of first team football.

I can see us picking up some of the best youngsters from around the globe because of our academy set-up and the chance to play under Koeman.

Tom Bowers
10 Posted 16/02/2017 at 14:45:48

Lookman has the ability to go all the way to stardom. He has the skills and the confidence. As long as he is coached properly and doesn't get ahead of himself like some young players do then the world is his oyster. Hopefully he will be part of an Everton revival for years to come.

Trevor Powell
11 Posted 16/02/2017 at 16:11:11

What has happened with Kieran Dowell, as I do not see him on Joe's list (post #4)?

Mike Gaynes
12 Posted 16/02/2017 at 16:47:35

Trevor, by his own admission Dowell has had an "up and down" season in the U23s with spells of poor form. The club apparently hasn't been impressed enough with his development to loan him out for first-team football as with Connolly.

http://www.Evertonfc.com/news/2017/01/17/dowell-inspired-by-davies

Kristian Boyce
13 Posted 16/02/2017 at 16:56:58

I find it amusing as the one big criticisms from Saints fans was that Koeman overlooked players from their 'fabled' academy when he was there. Maybe the real reason was these kids were not good enough as he has rewarded young players with first team football when needed.

I know many fans on here were worried about our youngsters when he came because of this. I think he has put more faith in young players than Martinez or Moyes ever did.

Tom Bowers
15 Posted 16/02/2017 at 17:30:34

Sadly Mike, the Dowell situation is a recurring theme with young players breaking through and then stalling for different reasons.

Everton have had their share of young phenoms like Jeffers and the like who just don't make it due to different reasons.

It's nice to see Holgate, Davies and a few others staking a claim this season. Good luck to them.

Darren Hind
16 Posted 16/02/2017 at 17:35:37

"If you are good enough, you are old enough" Well it may be a complete U-turn from telling us the likes of Holgate and Davies were "not ready" when we could all see they were.

It has never mattered how old a player is, if you have a kid better than the guy who has the shirt, you put him in. Holgate and Davies were clearly better than Jagielka and Cleverley.

I do believe another penny has just dropped.

Jakob Herd
17 Posted 17/02/2017 at 04:53:55

"You can't win anything with kids"

Eivind Nyhus
18 Posted 17/02/2017 at 10:36:41

I like Lookman, but he has shown quite a few holes in his game. I wasnt too impressed with him after our last two games. Hopefully he wont start too many games going forward. I'd think putting him on for the last 15-30 mins is a better way too go.

If we wanna challenge for top 6, we can't throw away points now because he might become a success in the future. Give him time, and play Valencia or Mirallas from the start.

John Wilson
19 Posted 18/02/2017 at 11:21:34

Lookman has his party-tricks but he can't stay on the ball. A good gush of wind and he'll be blown into the stadium.

Notwithstanding what I have said recently and previously about Lukaku, he (Lukaku) is not consist enough, he is just a man – who's human after all – he's worked into the ground. We simply have our work cut out for us in this League as each team has some form of striking power to hurt us not to mention good defences.

Relatively, in terms of like for like players, Lookman simply does not have enough of a physical presence to be taken seriously. Stop with all this hype (exaggeration), it's terribly boring.

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