Bojan returned to FC Barcelona this year with a management position that was very much suited to his experiences as a Barcelona player, i.e., the Football Coordinator.
In this position, the former forward will have to keep an eye on all the players that Barcelona have on loan or those that can make the jump from the youth ranks to the first team and ensure their growth is headed in the right direction.
One of the players who has already made this jump from the youth academy to the first team this season is the winger Lamine Yamal. The youngster has become an important part of Xavi’s squad this season and has also been regularly called up by Luis de la Fuente for the Spanish national team.
Bojan’s advice to Yamal
SPORT reports that Bojan appeared in a television program recently, in which he presented a documentary about his life.
Talking about Yamal, Bojan did not give him any sporting advice in particular but recommended him to keep his feet on the ground and not get too hasty with his career. He also disclosed that he has already asked Yamal to give proper attention to his studies in addition to his football:
“It’s very difficult to balance the dynamics of the first team with the school year, but the other day, I told Lamine that one of his goals should be to pass and complete the fourth year of secondary school.”
Bojan’s advice will be particularly valuable for Yamal, as the former has already been in a position similar to his but failed to live up to the expectations in later years. Bojan thus knows what things Yamal should avoid to ensure his career and life remain on track.
Advice for youngsters in general
The Barcelona Football Coordinator also had a message for other youngsters in general and asked them not to rush in their development at the youth level:
“Sometimes it seems like playing in the Cadet or Juvenil teams isn’t important. It seems like anything other than reaching Barça B doesn’t count.”
This advice from Bojan can be helpful for all the youngsters at Barcelona, and Bojan has been doing a good job in his new role at the club overall. Hopefully, his work can yield the needed dividends for the club and further enhance the talent development at the club.