'They will be knocking on the door': Lewis Cox makes exciting West Brom prediction

Express & Star

A host of West Brom young talents impressed head coach Ryan Mason last week - as they swept aside Juventus Next Gen in the Premier League International Cup. Leigh Downing's under 21 side came out on top in their second game of the competition - with a 4-2 victory against a side that plays in the third tier of Italian football. Jack Bray grabbed the headlines with a brace - while Rio Parmar got on the scoresheet, fresh from his goal scoring exploits against Birmingham City. In a new episode of the Baggies Broadcast, Lewis Cox discussed the young talents on show - and why Albion supporters should be excited about the future stars that are coming through at the club.

Transcript

00:00And just for the Albion fans who maybe don't follow the 21s as much

00:03and haven't kept a handle on it, just who are the ones to watch out for?

00:07Who could be the next ones coming through from what you've seen in these games

00:11and certainly on Wednesday?

00:12Yeah, I mentioned a couple from last night.

00:14Obviously, I got to see them the first time this season last week

00:18in the first of these Continental Cup games, which is a European youth competition.

00:23They played Norgeland, FC Norgeland from Denmark at the Hawthorns in the Odina

00:27and they were beaten 3-0 quite convincingly.

00:31This academy from the Danes were pretty ruthless and pretty impressive.

00:36They were a much better outfit, I have to say, than the Italian giants last night.

00:39You see the name Juve, you expect a lot.

00:42Look, Juventus had a couple of their top prospects on Italy youth duty,

00:47obviously international breaks, so maybe they were missing some good stars.

00:50But like you say, they're playing the third tier of Italian football,

00:53mid-table around there, so you expect a stern test.

00:55But Albin stood up to it last night.

00:58I'm delighted for head coach Lee Downing, the new boss.

01:02It was his first victory last night of his tenure.

01:05Obviously, he succeeded Rich Beard in the summer, who joined Villa.

01:12Yeah, a couple of draws so far.

01:13I think under Downing, they've been improving results and performance-wise,

01:16but a tough start.

01:17And I often feel for the 21's head coaches, their number one priority is not results.

01:23You know, it's supplying players ready to be involved in first-team training

01:28and then hopefully, you know, the matches we just spoke about, Bostock and Deeming.

01:33You know, so that's the priority.

01:34But look, any manager, any head coach of any group of players,

01:37even under sixes, they don't want to not win games, do they?

01:41So, there's that sort of going on as well and you're waiting as a manager,

01:45as a head coach for that first victory.

01:47And what a time to do it against opponents like that at the Hawthorns.

01:50We were good crowding last night.

01:52It was certainly a better attendance.

01:54I didn't get the attendance, unfortunately,

01:55but it was certainly bigger than against the Danes the week before.

02:01And Albin with good value for that win, 4-2.

02:03Yeah, about right.

02:03I think 3-1 was probably right.

02:05That was about the right margin of victory.

02:07I'll pull out a few.

02:09I mean, I'd be remiss not to mention the two-goal hero last night, Jack Bray.

02:15Curious little attacker, really.

02:17Albin signed in from Harrogate Town of League Two in the summer.

02:21Listeners might remember.

02:2318-year-old, sort of build as an attacking midfielder,

02:26but in the two games I've seen him, he's kind of played up top

02:29and led the line, really.

02:30He can do both, Lee Downing told me last night.

02:32But he dazzled for Harrogate against Albin's under-18s

02:37in the FA Youth Cup last season,

02:39which is obviously an age group below.

02:41Scored a couple of goals.

02:42One was a solo worldie.

02:44And Albin snapped him up.

02:45Now, Lee Downing said to me,

02:47Albin signed Bray in the summer.

02:49They signed Torian Entej from Peterborough.

02:52They signed Brian Okwanko, goalkeeper from Arsenal,

02:57brother of Wrexham, goalkeeper Okwanko.

03:00So they made recruitment moves from the Football League.

03:03And Lee Downing said to me,

03:04look, we had an age group where not too many progressed up

03:07to the 21s level.

03:09So we had to supplement the squad.

03:10So I thought that was interesting.

03:12But Bray, yeah, he'd been waiting for those first Albion goals

03:15and brilliant for him last night.

03:17Two really composed finishes after two bits of neat footwork.

03:21Picked up a little knock.

03:22So hopefully you're feeling in his knee.

03:24Hopefully that's fine and he's not ruled out for any period.

03:27But a cracking couple of goals for him.

03:28I thought in the two games I've seen,

03:30I think sort of new prospect on the scene,

03:33certainly at 21s level, he's Alfie Morn.

03:37I know you were writing about him in the summer, Johnny,

03:39when he signed his first professional contract.

03:42And he's kind of, he was billed then, I think,

03:44as a versatile fullback, you know, can play on either sides.

03:47But I've seen him on both occasions on the flank, actually.

03:51You know, skillful, beating players, crossing,

03:53can use both feet over set pieces.

03:55He's really impressive, tall lad, lean, turn of pace.

03:59I think he's really well thought of.

04:00And I think he's not 18 until well into next year.

04:03So there are high, high thoughts of him.

04:06Rio Palmer got off the bench last night.

04:08And an attacker, I think like an attacking midfielder

04:10from the under-18s, came to prominence a few weeks ago,

04:14didn't he, when he scored four goals in a game

04:16against Birmingham City in a massive Albion win.

04:19He came off the bench, might have been for his 21s debut.

04:22I'm not 100% sure it is, but got the fourth and late goal

04:26with a lovely, lovely moment of him.

04:28Lee said it to me afterwards.

04:31Obviously, Lee Downers worked in Albion's Academy for a long time.

04:33He said afterwards that he'd known and coached Rio Palmer

04:36since he was seven.

04:38So lovely, lovely moments for all involved, really.

04:41And again, Palmer, Maughan, who I've mentioned,

04:44I think for that kind of 17, just turned 18,

04:47age range, just coming into the under-21s,

04:49they're real bright prospects.

04:51Then there's some more familiar ones.

04:52You know, Jamal Mohamed was really good last night.

04:55Big, composed defender.

04:57We know, you know, we've seen glimpses of him.

04:59We know what he's about.

04:59We know he's a really big prospect.

05:02And just finally, the midfield two last night,

05:04Cole Deeming, who has been in and around the first team,

05:07hasn't he?

05:08The friendlies, the tour.

05:09Really, you know, impressed Ryan Mason.

05:11I did a feature on Cole Deeming this week.

05:14So have a read of that, if you will.

05:16He was captain for the 21s at the moment,

05:18and he really impressed last night.

05:20Sort of chest out.

05:22It looks like he thrives in that responsibility.

05:24And he played next to Matty Crawford.

05:27He's a young, young for the under-21s as well.

05:30I think he might only be 17.

05:31Really good partnership in the middle of the park.

05:33Ran all over Juventus.

05:34So credit to the whole side.

05:36Really good performance.

05:37And puts them in a decent position in that table.

05:40They've got home games against Mönchengladbach of Germany

05:43and Valencia of Spain to come at the end of October

05:46and the start of December.

05:48Effectively, one of them, the first at the Alex and the stadium

05:51and the Valencia one in December, Solil, I believe.

05:55Solil-Moros.

05:56So, yeah, keep tabs on it.

05:57Obviously, their games are all over the place.

06:00They played a league game last Friday,

06:02kind of lunchtime at the training ground,

06:03where they salvaged a late 2-2 draw against Leeds.

06:06So, yeah, hopefully it steps in the right direction, I think,

06:09for Lee Downing and his team.

06:10And there are some good talents coming through.

06:13There really are.

06:13Just kind of the age of, you know, your Demings,

06:16your Bostock, your Michael Parker's a bit older,

06:20Jamal Mohamed, been around the 21s a bit.

06:22But the next wave under coming through,

06:24you know, I think in around sort of 18 months,

06:27two years' time, there could be some more knocking

06:29on the door as well.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended