this kid seems really special! No wonder he's been invited over by just about every single top club, literally!Exciting times for your NT!
Martin Ødegaard
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Imran (@Annihilate Now!) are here to discuss Amad saving our blushes in a win against Southampton as well as our now annual loss at home to Brighton. They discuss Amorim's post-match comments, revisit how mid-table we may or may not be, and discuss some transfer news.
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this kid seems really special! No wonder he's been invited over by just about every single top club, literally!Exciting times for your NT!
The norwegian newspaper Drammens Tidende is still determined that Ødegaard has only been on a scheduled visit and that it will not be written any contract now.
I think this still is completely open. Perhaps Real Madrid a slight favorite.
I think this still is completely open. Perhaps Real Madrid a slight favorite.
Er, yeh, probably, because it makes you a total asshole.
He's only there for a second visit, according to Real Madrids Norwegian agent (who happends to be best buddies with my co-worker), but the club feel very confident that he'll sign. Still, he's going to visit Ajax in the next couple of weeks or so unless they suddenly decide otherwise. Real Madrid made an impression by picking him up in a private jet, having Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale sitting in the jet, welcoming him and chatting him up. I can imagine that's quite something, both for his father and the boy himself.
When his name first popped onto the scene, around the beginning of this thread, I watched a few videos and while I understood why there was hype - I didn't get the impression that he was one that United simply could not afford to miss out on. Admittedly, many would have seen a lot more than me, but that was just my first impression. His 'special quality' appeared to be him being 15.
Having Ronaldo and Bale sitting in the jet should have served as a warning not to join Madrid. Or any other team like that, such as City, United, Chelsea etc.
I hope he doesn't get his head swayed by all the big clubs. What is best for him is to continue his development in Norway before joining a team like Ajax. There, he knows he will be provided every chance to progress, rather than being loaned out for a few seasons at different teams, or even if he does get a chance, the pressure will be huge and he knows if he doesn't demonstrate his ability then there will be a world class player ready to take his place sat on the bench. Plus, Ajax are a club who won't stand in his way should a big offer come in for him when he will be much better prepared to sign for a team like Madrid.
How? He could learn from two of the best players in the world straightaway and they showed that they care about him.
I don't get why everyone seem to think Ajax is the best option for him. It's not 1995 anymore, they're not a top European club, they're a mid-range European side that is struggling to make an impact in Europe and play in an average league. Likewise you could say that Real Madrid won't stand in his way if he fails there and decides to move to Ajax in 3-4 years when he's still young, and in all honesty even if it doesn't work out at Real Madrid he's still going to have plenty of options. It seems like people cannot look past Ajax for some reason, I'm not convinced Holland is a good destination for a supposed top talent these days.
He won't be a first team regular at Real Madrid obviously but if he could get a few games plus a top education under the best coaches on the planet then he will only benefit from this move. Education is very important at this age, he's only 16 and enters a crucial period in his career.
This.
I see what you're saying, but I think that at 16 signing for Real Madrid will place so much pressure on him. The very reason Ajax is an ideal option is for the reasons you suggest they aren't - not a top team anymore, not a particularly tough league, and little media exposure outside of Holland. Having said that, they still play in Europe and are a decent enough side to allow him to progress, with an efficient coaching system and commendable record in developing young talents. It's a step-up from his current side, and that's what matters. Of course it would help to learn from players like Ronaldo, but he can do that when he is a few years older. Right now, what matters is game-time.
Will it, though? You could say that at 16 no one will expect him to play a vital role in the Madrid team for the next 5 years. If he starts 10-15 games a season and come on as a substitution in another 15 he still won't be considered a failure, he has time on his side.
If he goes to Ajax, struggles to adapt to a new environment and fails to make an impression in his first 2-3 years he becomes a failed talent and has to move to a weaker club. He won't have Real Madrid in his CV and his failure couldn't be put down to the lack of experience/too strong team. If anything I'd say expectations at Ajax will be infinitely higher because he'd have to prove himself to be heads and shoulders above everyone else in the league, possibly in the short-ish term (2-3 years) to again attract the interest of clubs like Real Madrid and Bayern. Hell, the boy has an opportunity to go to a huge club right now, if he doesn't take it he will have to prove himself again before they think about him again. I say take your risk while you can.
I don't think game time is THAT important at 16 if I have to be honest. A few Castilla games here and there, games against weaker La Liga opposition and Champions League group stages plus 20-30 minutes in important games would be more than enough on top of high level coaching he's bound to receive there. Spanish football with their strong emphasis on technique will teach him a lot.
Exactly, that's what i'm trying to explain since yesterday. At Madrid there is no immediate expectations, in lesser clubs there is a lot of expectations.
@Marcosdeto : Falcao begin professional football at 13 or 14 years old right ? and do you know if he joined River Plate considered as a youth player or a first team player.
Great point to be fair and I hadn't considered that. Although, I still maintain that for the next 2-3 years playing regularly is the most important thing he can do for his development (besides, I don't think Real Madrid's standard of coaching will necessarily be significantly better than Ajax's). After that, sure, he can go to Madrid and be integrated into the team gradually.
Can anyone talk about his physical development? He seems to have a pretty strong body for a 15year old guy. Does he have any disadvantage compared to grown up players in his league?
Im curious to know, Posters \ Lurkers in this thread.. If you were him what team would you sign for and why? (United not included)
Personally I think I would probably edge towards Bayern Munich. Great team with fantastic history, Good city and playing under the guidance of Guardiola. Plus you would be learning from the likes of Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Gotze, Alonso etc.
Personally I think I would probably edge towards Bayern Munich. Great team with fantastic history, Good city and playing under the guidance of Guardiola. Plus you would be learning from the likes of Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Gotze, Alonso etc.
I would have signed for an academy and it would have been between Bayern Munich and La Masia, because they both have great youth systems, they both gives a real chance to the talented players. But Real Madrid, Juventus and United would have been an option too.
Bayern would have been a priority because it's closer from Norway.
I think Real Madrid's coaching will be vastly superior, their resources are incredible. The days of Ajax wonderful school are gone IMO, big clubs have caught up with them and have more money to further develop.
If he wanted regular playing time then the best bet would be to go to a mid-table Premier League/La Liga side where he could get that, preferably La Liga because he's less likely to bump into strong players whose only goal is to foul the shit out of opposition there. He can still do that through Real Madrid, clubs will be more than happy to take him from them for 6-9 months.
I can see where you're coming from (healthy sceptism about hyped youngsters) but what makes him special is not only his age but the fact that he has not only easily adjusted every time the bar has been raised for him (i.e. higher Level), but he has also looked as the best player on the pitch almost every single time. Like I wrote earlier, he started the season as a promising youngster (debuted for the senior team in a friendly at the age of 13). Six months into the season and he had impressed so much that he now was a full member of the senior squad. He was called up to the U-21 squad where he impressed against the impressive Portuguese team. A month later he was called up the NT for a friendly. A few weeks later he had played in two more matches for the NT, one of them being a EC qualifier. He impressed everyone in Norway during those matches. During that period he had also established himself as perhaps the best player in the Norwegian league.
So basically he impressed from the get go at senior level in the domestic league, then U-21 NT and last but not least as a full international. All this at the age of 15. Granted, the opposition isn't all that (apart from Portugal U-21) but it still speaks volumes about his talent and ability to adapt. I think what impresses me most about him apart from his technique is his overall matureness and vision. He somehow almost always manage to release the ball at the right time and although the videos circulating might tell a different story, he doesn't 'overdo' his dribbling like a certain C.Ronaldo did in his early United days.
He might be 'ordinary' compared to talents from other countries, this is just my view on what he's done so far that makes him special.
Depends on what I was told and offered. I wouldn't go to United unless I were a supporter, we haven't been very good with the youth for a while and we're too uncertain in terms of where we are going to be in 3-4 years time when the crucial time for him comes. You can be certain Barcelona, Bayern and Real Madrid will be near the top, with us it's difficult to predict.
Atletico would be an outside bet.
I know it's only Norwegian league but to be the best player in the league at 15 is a big deal for anyone, anywhere. Obviously he can still drop from here but provided he has sense and manages his career well he could go on to become a great player.
In Norway we would say that this guy got a normal physical development. His not under or over average. He actually had some troubles with older players giving him a hard time because he makes them mad. Exactly the same thing you see with Ronaldo, Hazard, Januzaj, etc. They get knocks all the time, but they get up. So I guess he got a strong body.
Id sign for Southampton if I were in his shoes
they have a good record with developing young players, play a good brand of football and the manager seems to be a good one
alternatively, Barca. They're pretty handy at youth development too. Also if the transfer embargo stands i might have a chance at a few first team games
they have a good record with developing young players, play a good brand of football and the manager seems to be a good one
alternatively, Barca. They're pretty handy at youth development too. Also if the transfer embargo stands i might have a chance at a few first team games
But, he would actually get time on the pitch that he would not get at an elite club. Which I think is the most important for a talent like this.
Not really. He looks a bit frail but possesses great balance and agility. It's hard to knock the ball of him but not because of impressive attributes like Rooney's body mass and Anderson's bum.
Well, then he should stay in Norway where he already has that.
Can barca sign him though with a transfer ban?...also doesn't he play a similar role to haliovoc?
If it were me I'd sign for whichever club I liked the most when I visited them where I though I could develop into a better player (well provided the club in question was offering me so much money that if I busted my knee in day one of training I would still be financially set for life)
I would hope so.
That is what I think he should do and then join a club like Ajax in a season or two. I do not no one there is a big rush for him to play on the youth team of a top club when he is getting first team Football now. Especially since he just turned 16.
He will be 18 in two years, world's best players were usually playing from time to time in strong leagues for good clubs at that age (Rooney, Ronaldo, Messi). He apparently has the potential to go on to become one of the best footballers in the world and is tearing his league apart at 15, why wait until you are 20 when top clubs want to sign him now?
Training and playing for Real Madrid is much better for development than staying in Norway. He has the chance to build career here and now, not in 5 years time.
If he goes to RM then his promising future will be derailed before it even starts.
All perfect when choosing a club when you're at the age or ability to become a first teamer not when you're 16 and lack of game time will slow your progress. Ajax would've suited his career better.
Exciting times for your NT!
We would hope. I grew up at a time when we had Leonhardsen at Liverpool, Iversen at Tottenham, Heggem at Liverpool, Bjørnebye at Liverpool, Berg, Johnsen and Solskjaer at United, and so on and so on... Little did I know it was an exceptional time.
Of course, I really though Eikrem was going to do better than he did, same with Skjelbred... Dæhli's still looking pretty good, especially for our NT, but nobody's really shown off on the European stage for us for a while... Not since Carew and Riise, when they were at their best.
We've never had a player go to Real Madrid, nor Barcelona as I can recall... If we get a 16 year old signed to them, with a squad number indicating that he's nothing but a first team player, it's understandable that we lose our shit a tiny bit. It's also not really a standard Real Madrid move, and if he only gets a handful of matches it's still incredible exposure for a talented youngster who seems to thrive on challenges, and the everyday exposure to world class players should stand him in good stead too. So I'm likely to agree with those who don't necessarily see Real as a black hole for his talent.
I can see the argument for and against Real Madrid as a destination for Odengaard. I think it is easy to accept that Real do not have the greatest tradition of giving youth products a chance in the first team, mainly because the pressure for instant success and coach turnover is so high. That said, the facilities and coaching staff, as well as being surrounded by world class players, is a definite plus.
I think if Odengaard is good enough, he'll make it. I would lean towards him signing for a club where he can slowly and surely be integrated into the first team and get the playing time his development probably requires; but that's just me. I don't think it's the be all and end all.
I think with all the hype he's been surrounded with, it's almost inevitable he'll never hit the heights expected of him.
I think if Odengaard is good enough, he'll make it. I would lean towards him signing for a club where he can slowly and surely be integrated into the first team and get the playing time his development probably requires; but that's just me. I don't think it's the be all and end all.
I think with all the hype he's been surrounded with, it's almost inevitable he'll never hit the heights expected of him.
http://www.vgtv.no/#!/video/106444/...-er-utrolig-at-et-barn-kan-spille-som-ronaldo
I don't know if you guys can watch that video, but its a interview with a guy from Marca. First 30 seconds is in norwegian, the rest is in shitty english
His saying that some of the Real players said that Ødegaard is playing like Ronaldo. Marca is probably crazy in love with Ødegaard atm, but this kid is probably the best young talent in the world.
I don't know if you guys can watch that video, but its a interview with a guy from Marca. First 30 seconds is in norwegian, the rest is in shitty english
His saying that some of the Real players said that Ødegaard is playing like Ronaldo. Marca is probably crazy in love with Ødegaard atm, but this kid is probably the best young talent in the world.
AS said that he will decide between Bayern and Real.
Would be nice for us but he is 16. You never know.
Would be nice for us but he is 16. You never know.
I think he will decide between everyone he has visited. Sure, the media is saying Real is a favorite, and maybe they are, but it would be cool if we got that kid. LvG are good with young players. It would create a lot of excitement.
Cons:
- Real buys for the sake of buying. One moment you think you are a vital member of the first 11, next moment you are replaced by a big name.
- Are Real fans even supportive to a lack of form player. I've heard about them booing their own. Can he handle that sort of pressure?
- How much game time can a 16 yr old get at Real? He will be competing against some of the best footballers. Can he displace them? If so then can he retain the position even through phases of loss of form? (16 yr old don't do a Messi)
- Will he be swayed by the lights and glamour of the club? Afterall he's just a boy, no matter how down to earth you are, at that age you trend to favour company of friends more than family.
Pros:
- Train with one of the best players, learn from them
- Protection from referees, non-physical league
- Real dominates 99% of the clubs in the league, integration into the team will be easy
- Real buys for the sake of buying. One moment you think you are a vital member of the first 11, next moment you are replaced by a big name.
- Are Real fans even supportive to a lack of form player. I've heard about them booing their own. Can he handle that sort of pressure?
- How much game time can a 16 yr old get at Real? He will be competing against some of the best footballers. Can he displace them? If so then can he retain the position even through phases of loss of form? (16 yr old don't do a Messi)
- Will he be swayed by the lights and glamour of the club? Afterall he's just a boy, no matter how down to earth you are, at that age you trend to favour company of friends more than family.
Pros:
- Train with one of the best players, learn from them
- Protection from referees, non-physical league
- Real dominates 99% of the clubs in the league, integration into the team will be easy
Thanks. I guess my impression isn’t really accurate.
The most important thing is, that he finds a club with a stable environment, where he can integrate fast.
It would be a mistake to join Madrid, if he can’t speak Spanish. Same goes for Bayern and German. If he wants to play any first league football in the next year he shouldn’t join those two clubs anyway. It would be a big surprise if he gets more than 90 minutes during the whole season. I don’t think that first league football is necessary for him yet, but it might be very frustrating to only play for their second teams.
I have my doubts about top EPL sides and their youth-setup, so I wouldn’t join them either. That leaves little room. I think a team in the Netherlands would be his best bet. Everybody speaks English, it should be easy to integrate and its not that far away from his home. A couple of their clubs have a good track record with young players. First team football wouldn’t be too far away and he would get the chance to prove himself in a stronger league and in Europe. These clubs also don’t get in his way, if bigger clubs are interested in him.
I don't necessarily believe language will be such a large barrier for a young guy with ambition, youngsters often learn language quickly. Both Real and Bayern already have several guys speaking English who'll be helping out if they're decent human beings. I assume he's either learning German or Spanish, or maybe French, as a third language in school anyway.
I'm more worried about whether he'll never get a proper chance for a spot in the first team or bench or not. Ajax looks perfect, but maybe he'll actually be able to play for the Real first team already, the guy was totally in a league of his own in the Norwegian PL last season - at the age of 15. The latest report from Madrid doesn't sound too bad. Exciting times.
Started this semester learning Spanish but switched to German a couple of months later. Hence why papers in Germany suddenly were sure he was moving to Bayern or any other German team. Yes, that's right, the reports in Norway about this kid is so extensive so we get to learn what kind of languages he's learning in school.
Harsh as it may sound, clubs like Southampton have no real chance when all the big boys want him. If you were actually in his shoes, you wouldnt pick them either.
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