It's great if his parents are actually concerned about the progression of his career rather than trying to get the best deal financially. Too often when parents are heavily involved/advise the player you get a situation where it seems like they're serving their own interests rather than the player's.
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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I've never seen the type of intelligent play from players in the 14-17 age bracket who get labelled the next big thing. There are many reasons why Ødegaard is receiving so much attention these days, and his physique is far down on the list of attributes he has. His intelligence, technique, vision and ability to release the ball at the right time is something you rarely see even in fully developed pros. And he's not only doing it against journeymen in the Norwegian league. He played the Portuguese U21 team a month or so ago and absolutely rinsed them. This is the guy who could still be playing U21 football in 2021, theoretically. He's still eight or nine years away from reaching his full potential. For him, that's more than half a lifetime. Definitely amongst the biggest talents in the world at the moment, and I'm not just saying that because I'm Norwegian. In fact, I've been consistently underwhelmed by pretty much all of our so-called "huge talents" up until Dæhli came into the spotlight a few years ago.
It's Norway, though. Everyone here is "sensible white guy" rich, as opposed to... this kind of rich:
It's Norway, though. Everyone here is "sensible white guy" rich, as opposed to... this kind of rich:
How much have you seen of either Roberts or Ødegaard? The hype about Ødegaard is crazy but I got no issues with saying it's well-earned (based on what he has shown so far). Before the season started he was just mentioned as a big talent (a few articles on him playing for the senior team at the age of 13 in a friendly match), then he made a few substitute appearances showing glimpses of a real talent and now he's about to end the season by being the best player in the league by far. Granted, the Norwegian league isn't all that but it still speaks volumes about his talent. Especially when he bases his gameplay on technique, creativity and balance. Norway rarely produces any real talents but Ødegaard is up with the very best I've seen regardless of nationality.
Not saying he will end up as a top, top player but he's as close as you get to being a dead-cert at that age. Attributes, personality and people around him. Everything is right about him at the moment.
Watched Roberts for England youth teams as well as Fulham in a few FA Youth Cup matches.Roberts has impressed me more but I only have watched highlights of Odegaard so perhaps I'm biased.Roberts is older than Odegaard (but smaller) so I'm not going to compare the two.
What I'm trying to say is Odegaard would looks more impressive than some of the same age because his physicality could cope with first team football while there are others, as talented or might even better, couldn't.I have no problem with people who did watch him, but there are some people who just got carried away with the fact that he's ripping the league up at 15.
Yeah the argument here is basically just about whether he will justify that hype of "one of the best talent in the football world", no doubt he will become a very good player.
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Time will tell, but I find it strange that Ødegaard is deemed to have some advantage when it comes to physique, as he's a fairly slight fella. I think it's speed of thought and skill that has seen him make an incredible debut season, not a physical advantage over other 15-16 year olds.
Woah, take it easy. That didn´t happen at all. He was the standout (got praise by our national team coach) in a very poor norwegian team but he didn´t rinse us at all. We won both games 5-1 and 2-1 and finished top of the group with 8 wins in 8 games. Our current u21 generation is a very good team with players already playing at very high level (Bernando Silva playing at Mónaco, João Mário playing with Sporting in the Champions League and being in the portugal main team, Ruben Neves as a Porto starter at 17, Carlos Mané in Sporting´s main team, Raphael Guerreiro at Lorient and many others). All with senior and european football experience. We just won both games against Holland in the play offs as well 2-0 away and 5-4 at home. We have a very good team with players that will make the transition to our main national team.
Odegaard has potencial to become a very interesting player but some of you guys are getting carried away. As a Sporting fan, i´ve seen alot of talents from our academy struggling to make the transition to professional football and this ammount of attention will put too much pressure on him. Let him evolve with tranquility.
I'll go as far as saying that Norway would've creamed Portugal in that 2-1 game if we'd had a striker close to Ødegaard's level.
He created enough chances to notch up three or four assists. His problem in the Norwegian league and for the national team is the fact that the strikers he's feeding are all absolute shite.
He created enough chances to notch up three or four assists. His problem in the Norwegian league and for the national team is the fact that the strikers he's feeding are all absolute shite.
Well welcome to our perpetual problem. We also lack strikers and actually play without a center forward reference. That Norway away fixture we played with some reserves and with a relaxed stance since we were already qualified. Besides your striker problem, your goalkeeper was also pretty crap which amazed me because norwegian teams usually have good keepers. I think your team was pretty average (that´s why you came third behind Israel) but Odegaard was the shinning light of the team. Like i said, he got big praise from our coach.
I don't we've had a good goalkeeper in the last 20 years ( Thorstvedt being the last).
Might have been a perception error from my behalf. Still remember the golden years of Rosenborg, where they played some times against portuguese teams and their keepers usually impressed me. They were very competitive in those years. Quite the downfall they took. Lack of investment? Speaking about norwegian football as a whole, i don´t understand what happened. So many talents produced in the past and now even Iceland looks more impressive. What´s the reason for the drought?
Don't know tbh. We had a golden generation in the 90's but weren't very good before that either. Might be that the 90's were a one-off and that our current level is the right one. Both Rosenborg and the national team had a clear identity and playing style (which was quite different tbf), and since then we've lacked that identity. We have also lacked a physical presence, in particular through the back four, which is untypical of the Norwegian team. Some good talents coming through these days, but we have been saying that for years tbf.
Ødegaard is a much bigger talent than Roberts.
Is he not just one of these that can dribble past everyone and never learns how to get his head up at senior level?
No.
If he had no dribbling ability he'd be the opposite of that.
Going off topic here, while agreeing that Thorstvedt was a very good keeper I'd say that Grodaas, Myhre and Baardsen all were very good GKs, they all played several seasons in the PL. After Myhre hit rock bottom we've had nothing to speak off, the last 10-12 years maybe.
As someone who lives in Drammen, and have been attending a fair few Strømsgodset-matches this year and watched every game, I just want to add my "
" to the idea of Martin being more "physically developed" than others his age.
" to the idea of Martin being more "physically developed" than others his age.Baardsen was never a first choice in the PL, perhaps he was for Watford in the first division though. He was a good talent who never made it, probably injuries had something to do with it.
Edit: He actually retired aged 25 due to having lost interest/motivation.
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He looks more like an Arsenal player from those clips. Likes to try and pass the ball into the net.
Just scored again. 4 goals in the league.
And another.
You guys watch the match? How'd he look in general?
Shaped his foot brilliantly for the 2nd goal
Sign him up LvG 
That second goal is some finish.
Do they not have defenders in Norway?
Its not the best league in the world. That said, this kid is the biggest talent in the world atm.
The reports linking him to Liverpool is bullshit btw. Watched a interview with him and he said that his going to visit some clubs after the norwegian season is finished. He has not made any choice yet.
It might be true. I heard his Dad say it's too soon for him to go to a big club.
Is it "legal" to sign him? I mean, he's a kid ffs.
I'm a bit overrated when some say i'm the next Messi.
I could end up as a great player in a top league, but it's hard to see me competing for the title as the best player in the world at any point.
And best talent in the world?
Januzaj, Sterling, Mastour and loads of other youngsters have done well either at the same level or at a higher level, though a bit older, also when people talk about talented youngsters they easily overlook keepers and defenders who also could be argued as the top talents of the world.
The transition from being a tippeliga player to the national team isn't half as long as from the tippeliga to a top league (germany/spain/england).
Hopefully the next step will be the netherlands or a decent club that offers regular football and a platform to develop, but not until there is no longer any use at staying in the norwegian league. (1-3 years down the road when i'm more physically more developed)
I'm lucky enough to have my uncle around, who also happens to be the national teams physio, to keep track of my physical state so i get enough nutrition and don't overdo it and ruin it all early on.
I'm not Ødegaard ofc, just figured i'd give my input in a different way.
I could end up as a great player in a top league, but it's hard to see me competing for the title as the best player in the world at any point.
And best talent in the world?
Januzaj, Sterling, Mastour and loads of other youngsters have done well either at the same level or at a higher level, though a bit older, also when people talk about talented youngsters they easily overlook keepers and defenders who also could be argued as the top talents of the world.
The transition from being a tippeliga player to the national team isn't half as long as from the tippeliga to a top league (germany/spain/england).
Hopefully the next step will be the netherlands or a decent club that offers regular football and a platform to develop, but not until there is no longer any use at staying in the norwegian league. (1-3 years down the road when i'm more physically more developed)
I'm lucky enough to have my uncle around, who also happens to be the national teams physio, to keep track of my physical state so i get enough nutrition and don't overdo it and ruin it all early on.
I'm not Ødegaard ofc, just figured i'd give my input in a different way.
Is it true you're a Liverpool fan, Martin?
Yes, but that doesn't matter at all when choosing clubs at the moment.
Development first and foremost as that's what will decide both future chances of big trophies, secured gametime and good amounts of money and fame.
Further down the road if Liverpool is in a position to fight for trophies then it could impact my choice, but i'd suspect it to come down to the best offer (playtime, chances of trophies & money) before taking it into account that i'm a supporter of LFC.
Development first and foremost as that's what will decide both future chances of big trophies, secured gametime and good amounts of money and fame.
Further down the road if Liverpool is in a position to fight for trophies then it could impact my choice, but i'd suspect it to come down to the best offer (playtime, chances of trophies & money) before taking it into account that i'm a supporter of LFC.
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Frank De Boer:
"He should come to Ajax. He'll get plenty of chances here."
What say you, Caf? Is it the right choice? Or should he aim even higher, despite being just a kid?
I think it seems like a good decision. Ajax aim to produce players who break through as stars between the age of 21 and 25. That would give Ødegaard 5 years minimum. I think he'll succeed, easily. The key is to not get complacent during those 5 years.
"He should come to Ajax. He'll get plenty of chances here."
What say you, Caf? Is it the right choice? Or should he aim even higher, despite being just a kid?
I think it seems like a good decision. Ajax aim to produce players who break through as stars between the age of 21 and 25. That would give Ødegaard 5 years minimum. I think he'll succeed, easily. The key is to not get complacent during those 5 years.
Of course he should 'come to Ajax'. They'll buy him, play him because he's a top talent anyway and then sell him for 10 times the price they buy him for.
It does seem that this kid's got a free-pass to any club in the world he wants at the moment, question is if he can sort of step it up to such level that he doesn't have to be picked for matches purely because of his 'young age and huge potential' but on his skill. Can he do that at, for example, RM or Barca?
It does seem that this kid's got a free-pass to any club in the world he wants at the moment, question is if he can sort of step it up to such level that he doesn't have to be picked for matches purely because of his 'young age and huge potential' but on his skill. Can he do that at, for example, RM or Barca?
@Kostur
He's actually a candidate for POTY in the Norwegian league. He'll probably not win it, but it's still crazy that he's considered amongst 2-3 bests players in the entire league, after just half a season of professional football.
Anyways, the key is to get consistent first team football. No loans. No academy football. He can try to fight his way into the first team from the bench, as long as we're talking about a top team. But ideally, he should play week in week out.
He's actually a candidate for POTY in the Norwegian league. He'll probably not win it, but it's still crazy that he's considered amongst 2-3 bests players in the entire league, after just half a season of professional football.
Anyways, the key is to get consistent first team football. No loans. No academy football. He can try to fight his way into the first team from the bench, as long as we're talking about a top team. But ideally, he should play week in week out.
Taking the Zlatan/Suarez/Eriksen route is the right move for him. Ajax is the perfect step for his development. Aiming any higher than Eredivisie and expecting regular first team football at his age is fairly delusional.
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