By Alphonsus E.W
The English press, famed for the way they hype players, have contributed in no small measure to the career demise of so many young players. The list is quite long; Jermaine Pennant, Francis Jeffers, David Bentley, Jay Simpson, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Raheem Sterling, James Watt, Tom Cleverly, Wilfred Zaha, Josh Mc Eachran, Michael Johnson, Frederico Marcheda, Lee Sharpe, and on and on.
The latest in the conveyor belt of England’s hype academy graduates is current Manchester United Wing sensation, Adnan Janujaz. After doing well in pre-season for the Red Devils, he scored a brace in a league game against Sunderland which Manchester United seemed sure to lose.
Suddenly he has been elevated to the status of a superstar by press pundits. For a kid who is barely 18 years old having big clubs and FAs jostling for his signature and allegiance, it can make him tend towards a swollen head. The respective FAs of England, Kosovo, Albania and Belgium are all making overtures to have him feature for their respective countries at international level.
The press is largely to blame for derailing the careers of some of these youngsters because when a kid suddenly begins to see his picture being splashed across tabloids, it can have the negative effect of distracting him, thereby making him undisciplined and unwilling to bend down and work harder to become a better player.
