The emergence of Lamine Yamal at FC Barcelona is one of the hot topics in football, as the player has shown very high quality at a very young age. The youngster has received plaudits for his performances and potential from various quarters in the last few months.
These words of praise have also been sometimes accompanied by words of caution and advice, and the latest advice on how a player like Yamal should be managed has been provided by Pep Clotet, who was the Birmingham manager when the now Real Madrid player Jude Bellingham emerged.
Former Birmingham manager on Yamal’s management
As SPORT has noted, Clotet gave a detailed interview recently, in which he talked about how Jude Bellingham emerged at Birmingham and about different aspects of how he managed the player to ensure he grew at the optimal level. Ultimately, parallels were drawn on how Lamine Yamal is being managed by Xavi and Barcelona.
The coach confessed that: “I haven’t seen him much, I don’t know him, and I would make a mistake”, but still went on to highlight the challenges Yamal would face at Barcelona:
“Jude started at Birmingham, but playing for a top-tier team is a whole different thing. I think Bellingham benefited a lot from taking that step. Then, he decided to move to Borussia Dortmund because he saw it was the next step for his development. At Barcelona, you really have to be very well-prepared.”
Xavi’s role is crucial
Clotet went on to highlight the role that Xavi would play in enhancing Yamal as a player and how he should do it:
“And having a coach like Xavi is crucial in that process. It’s very important to proceed with caution and work in coordination with other key figures to do comprehensive work, knowing when to apply the brakes and working very effectively…”
Lastly, Clotet also recalled how Bellingham’s teammates and off-the-pitch lifestyle played a role in his development and recommended care in these regards for Yamal as well:
“And then there are his teammates. I remember when I was at Birmingham, I spoke to the more experienced players and told them that the kid was ready and would become a great footballer. I said, ‘You might not see it now, but I would like you to help him learn the trade.”
“He needs to prepare, learn to be a professional, eat the right way, take care of his body, understand the rules, speak with the media… And treat him knowing he’s just 16 years old. You can’t treat him as if he’s already a seasoned professional because he’s not there yet.'”
Clotet’s advice on how Yamal should be managed holds greater weight than the advice of most other people, as he has already helped another promising teenager grow into a finished product and become one of the best players in the world today.
Xavi and Co. should definitely put an ear to his comments and ensure Yamal is treated according to his age while also getting proper chances at Barcelona.
