Leeds United: Harry Gray makes first team debut
Leeds United: Harry Gray makes first team debut
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00:00Of course, in that game, we had a certain Harry Gray making his debut for Leeds United.
00:07Of course, not a competitive debut, but it is a case of one Gray in and one Gray already having gone out with Archie,
00:15his brother, having departed for Spurs a little while ago now. But how did the younger Gray do in this game?
00:22Yeah, pretty well, I thought. Yeah, it was a lovely moment and I'm pleased he's on now
00:26and I'm pleased the cat's properly out of the bag now in terms of everybody seeing him and stuff,
00:30because we've spoken about him a fair bit on here already.
00:33I'm always a bit cautious about building someone up who's so young as that, like 15 years old.
00:38Obviously, players come through younger and younger these days, but he is literally still 15 years of age.
00:42We were talking about him quite a lot last season, but that's because everybody knows how good he is.
00:46You see clips of him and stuff and you can see the goals he's been scoring for the Leeds youth teams
00:51and obviously England youth international teams as well.
00:53It's pretty obvious that he's a very, very talented young kid. Obviously, success runs in the family,
00:58as you say with Archie as well, and you wish him all the best at Tottenham now.
01:01But yeah, I mean, I did wonder going into the game whether we'd see him on the bench and obviously that was the case
01:06and it was nice. Obviously, fans all see that and then they see him taking his seat on the subs bench.
01:11I mean, literally fans were chanting his name before the game even started,
01:15not like all around the ground or anything like that.
01:18But those chants then got a bit louder as he sort of appeared in the second half
01:21and he was about to come on for Giorgino Routier.
01:23I mean, that's quite a nice moment coming on and replacing the record signing.
01:27And yeah, so he's up and running now basically and I thought he did all right.
01:30I mean, I think there was only 15 minutes left when he came on.
01:32But what was noticeable to me was that he went straight into the number nine role,
01:36you know, and straight away went and assumed that position.
01:39There was none of this sort of like going on and just sort of like feeling your way about,
01:42feeling your way into it and stuff. Straight on, straight into the number nine role.
01:45He is a striker and straight away trying to close the defence and keep it down.
01:49He's obviously very, very good at high press.
01:51You can tell that he's energetic.
01:53I think not that many touches, one shot that went over the bar,
01:56which got a few sort of sarcastic cheers and whatever from the home fans,
01:59but it's all fun and games.
02:00But yeah, I mean, you can't read too much into that because it was like,
02:03as I say, 15 minutes.
02:04But basically what was more telling than the fact that looking at his performance
02:09was the fact that he was there, he was included and he came on.
02:12So he's up and running and, you know, far too early to sort of say that
02:17that now means he's part of the first-team squad for next season.
02:20I mean, you can't go that far yet.
02:22Daniel Farker was quite obviously asked about him afterwards
02:24and kind of gave the sort of answer you'd expect, really,
02:27which is that, you know, I don't want to put a young lad like that,
02:3015-year-old in the spotlight.
02:31Ellen Road can't expect to see him very, very soon.
02:34These types of things.
02:35And that's all kind of what you would expect.
02:37He's not even sort of in the under-21s as yet.
02:40You know, it's still sort of like playing his trade for the 18s.
02:42And like I say, he's only 15 years of age.
02:44But that said, Daniel Farker has always been one to sort of say
02:47if someone's sort of like, you know, good enough, then he'll play him.
02:50It doesn't really matter how old they are.
02:51I mean, look at the trust he gave Archie last season,
02:53who admittedly was a bit older.
02:55And he did say he'd like sort of like earn his chances
02:58because of his performances.
02:59And also what he was telling is that he then boarded the plane
03:02for the pre-season camp in Germany.
03:04So, you know, like, as I say, a bit far to say he's part of the first-team squad
03:08now at the minute in terms of like, you know,
03:10someone who's going to be on every bench and whatever.
03:12But he's obviously knocking on the door already.
03:14You should say that just if we're going to mention him,
03:16we have to mention the others because Sam Chambers,
03:18Luca Thomas and James Betheo also all came on and also are all
03:22in the squad in Germany, along with young keeper Harry Christie
03:25who's made the bench before.
03:26So it's not just the Harry Gray show by any means and imagination.
03:30But he's obviously the one everyone's talking about.
03:32You know, it feels like he's the next emerging young star,
03:35probably, you know, like maybe the season after.
03:38But, you know, as I say, if he keeps his progress going
03:41and if he keeps impressing,
03:43and obviously he's out there in Germany with the squad and stuff,
03:46then, you know, he'll get his chances, won't he?
03:48I mean, Daniel Farke will be very keen, as I say,
03:50to not put any pressure on him and bring him along gradually.
03:53But, I mean, you know, if someone's a very, very good player,
03:57then obviously, you know, you give him chances.
03:59So, yeah, he's there now, isn't he?
04:01And I wonder if stuff like the League Cup games
04:05and stuff like that, whether you'll, I don't know,
04:07see him on the bench for stuff like that.
04:08But, yeah, basically, it depends on his progress now.
04:11But it was a really nice moment.
04:13Congratulations to him.
04:14It was nice also he put on Instagram about it
04:16and actually wrote straight back, you know,
04:18put love to see it and stuff.
04:19So, he'll be willing, his younger brother, Ron.
04:21And, yeah, it's good that he's up and running.
04:23And, as you say, one grey in, one grey out.
04:26But, you know, he's got a long way to go,
04:27obviously, before he even matches what Archie's done.
04:29But I certainly think he'll do it.
04:31That's for sure. Very, very exciting young player.
04:33Yeah, it's certainly good for him, of course.
04:37But the loss of Archie Grey is a big one for them,
04:40especially given just how much he contributed
04:43to last season.
04:44But, you know, you've got a ready-made replacement.
04:46And, as you say there, if you're good enough,
04:49you're old enough.
04:50Although, in this case, he is only 15.
04:52So, perhaps he's got a little bit of development
04:54still to go.
04:55But, as I said, in this situation,
04:57you've got to get him started at some point.
04:59If they think he's good enough,
05:00you can't just sort of leave him out, though, can't you?
05:02Exactly, yeah.
05:04And the thing with it is, as well,
05:06he's coming through in a position where
05:09there's question marks about Leeds at the moment.
05:11He's a striker, basically, and he's a No. 9.
05:13I mean, I'm not for one minute saying, right,
05:15he's going to be the answer any time soon,
05:18as in next season or even...
05:20I mean, in terms of being the No. 9 that Leeds look to.
05:23But in the future, he might be.
05:24Why not?
05:25He looks that sort of player.
05:26As I say, he came on straightaway,
05:28went straight into the No. 9 role straightaway.
05:30He reminded me a little bit of Matteo Joseph
05:32when he came on.
05:33A bit like how Matteo Joseph was playing in the first half.
05:35Just energetic and full of enthusiasm
05:37and just really going for it, really, and stuff.
05:40Obviously, Patrick Bamford's a bit older now and stuff
05:43and still does his best to press and stuff.
05:45Bamford brings other things to the game,
05:47like the way he holds the ball up in this stat and the other.
05:49But, I mean, he looks very energetic,
05:51this young Harry Gray,
05:52and he's obviously a very, very good finisher as well.
05:54I've seen that from some of his finishers already.
05:56So, yeah, as I say, he's coming through in a position
05:58that Leeds could do with somebody emerging from.
06:01Obviously, they've got Matteo Joseph,
06:02and we'll talk about him.
06:03But, you know, a few years younger,
06:05well, five years younger,
06:06you've got Harry Gray.
06:07And, yeah, amazing to be emerging at that age.
06:10So, I mean, obviously, Archie's moved on at 17,
06:14and he's 18 now.
06:15I mean, how good could Harry be even in three years' time?
06:18We'll have to wait and see.
06:19But it's very, very exciting.
06:20And you just have to hope that, obviously,
06:23the fear everybody will have,
06:24and again, we're getting way ahead of ourselves here,
06:26but the fear everybody will have is,
06:28oh, that's great, Harry.
06:29You can see that happening with Archie Gray, isn't it?
06:31Yeah, exactly.
06:32That's what everybody will fear.
06:33They'll think, oh, great, we've got Harry Gray coming through.
06:35I wonder which club he'll leave for in two years' time.
06:37And that's the cynics, and fans will think that,
06:40and they're within the rights to think that,
06:41and you couldn't rule that out happening.
06:43But it's Leeds United's job now, basically,
06:45to get back in the Premier League ASAP
06:47so that doesn't happen again.
06:48Because if they went up this season,
06:50then probably Archie would have stayed, wouldn't he?
06:52So, if they're still in the Championship in two years' time,
06:54then you probably won't see someone like Harry staying
06:56if he continues his progress like he is.
06:58But this is what it's all about.
07:00Get in the Premier League,
07:01and then you can keep your best players.
07:02Very, very early days for Harry Gray,
07:04but it's not rocket science to work out that
07:07in a few years' time,
07:08he could be one of the stars of the show.
07:10Very much so, yes.