Hi, I’m James Truscott and from now on I will be writing articles on Football Talk about potentially world class young football players, this feature will be called “The Kids on the Block” and will have a profile followed by a video of that player displaying their talents. Enjoy…
Ryo Miyaichi is an 18 year old pacy, young winger that is a natural scorer of goals, when Arsenal beat competition from Ajax to his signature there was many videos circulating around the internet displaying his immense talent that has been compared to the likes of Michael Owen and Cristiano Ronaldo and Feyenoord were lucky enough to get him on loan from Arsenal until he can secure a work permit.
At Feyenoord he has continued to brew up a storm by scoring 3 goals in 11 appearances whilst also creating many opportunities, exciting Arsenal fans further as they wait for him to return to North London. A Japanese youth international, he is one of many young players showing that the future of Asian football is very bright and Arsenal fans will continue to monitor his process in the hope that he can light up the premier league in the near future.
He was playing for Chukyodai Chuyko High School in the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament when he was spotted by scouts from all over Europe and his immense confidence has helped him progress to one of the biggest football clubs in the world. In a short interview with The Sun he displayed his sheer determination and self-confidence by saying, “I’m confident I have the ability to penetrate defences and hopefully I’ll be given the marks that I’m looking for.” He clearly feels that he is not too young to make a mark in the world’s strongest league, but is he getting to big for his boots? Confidence is one of the key aspects needed to become a good footballer but surely too much of it could backfire and potentially damage someone psychologically. But those fears need to be put aside and as Arsenal fans become increasingly desperate for a trophy, they will be hoping he can make an immediate impact.
Miyaichi is only Arsenal’s second Japanese player ever, following the not-so-successful Junichi Inamoto, who despite failing to brew a storm in the Premier League has managed to rack up 82 international caps and also play for clubs such as Galatasaray and Eintracht Frankfurt. But Miyaichi hasn’t dared to dream about being regarded alongside all-time greats such as Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo as he explained to The Sun, “I don’t feel pressured but I know in myself that I have nowhere near the talent of such great players as Ronaldo and Henry.” But FourFourTwo thinks otherwise, naming him as the 16th best young player around in the July 2011 issue that featured a list of the 20 best players in the world under the age of 20.
But is Miyaichi the next big star? I’ll leave that for you to decide. From now on, his performances will be scrutinised by football fans around the country eagerly following his progress. Please leave your comments below… Ryo Miyaichi, New Young Football Star:
