Sarri: Pressure On Hudson-Odoi Dangerous
By Joshua Walters
Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has expressed fear for Callum Hudson-Odoi’s progress if the pressure from the media and club supporters do not stop.
The Chelsea manager says the 18-year-old English forward is still under development and so has to be worked on gradually rather than be used in every game as is being demanded by a section of the British media and supporters of the club.
Hudson-Odoi has been a revelation at Chelsea this season, scoring three goals in seven Europa League games and one goal in two FA Cup appearances.
Hudson-Odoi is yet to score in four Premier League appearances, but there have been clarion calls from the media and club supporters on Sarri to give the lad more playing time in both domestic and international competitions with some arguing that he is better than most of the consistent players in the squad.
The Chelsea supporters chanted that Sarri introduced Hudson-Odoi before the youngster came off the bench to seal a 3-0 win for the Blues in the Europa League game against Dynamo Kiev, but the manager says the media and the fans should give him the space as he takes the player through the mill.
“I think to have pressure when you are 18 is very dangerous for a player,” said the Italian."
“You can lose the target. When you’re 18 the target is to improve – to improve, tactically, mentally and physically."
“So, it’s dangerous for him. I don’t like to speak about him for this reason.
“Now I think we need to improve without the pressure of the media, without the pressure of the fans, without the pressure of the club.”
Hudson-Odoi, who handed in a transfer request in January amid offers from Bayern Munich, is still awaiting his first Premier League start though Sarri insists that the player is in contention for every game.
“He is in my mind for every match. In England, I think he’s the only to be born in 2000 to have played 16 matches in the first team,” says Sarri.
“He (doesn’t) have to do anything to convince me because I am convinced that he is a very great player.
“I have my opinion. In my opinion, a player at 18 years cannot be at the top yet. He needs to improve because he will be able to arrive at the top only at 22 or 23, like every other player."
