Andrea Radrizzani can be heard waxing lyrical about promising duo Charlie Cresswell and Joe Gelhardt in the new docuseries 'Academy Dreams: Leeds United'. The owner and chairman features on a couple of occasions throughout the six episodes, which are available to stream now on Amazon Prime and follow the fortunes of those youngsters at Elland Road bidding to work their way through the academy structure and into the first-team.
Radrizzani clearly has a passion to see Leeds’ youth ranks thrive, that much is apparent during his brief appearances on the show, and he also thinks a lot of several of the club’s young stars. The Italian speaks highly of Cresswell, who was the captain of the Under-23s last season and managed to make his Premier League debut under Marcelo Bielsa.
Cresswell has since joined Millwall on a season-long loan deal and isn’t expected to return to Elland Road until next summer, but the centre-back has clearly done enough to catch Radrizzani’s eye.
Read more: Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood's near-telepathic bond as Leeds United pair discuss chemistry
“He’s a leader, he’s a leader,” he says at the start of episode four of Academy Dreams. “He’s 19 but he talks like he’s more mature than me. He really is a leader.”
He takes the opportunity to single out Gelhardt, too, later in the series during a conversation with vice-chairman Paraag Marathe. The forward has been one of the big success stories of the academy in recent years and Radrizzani doesn’t hold back with his praise.
“It’s a result of the fact that we got the best player out into the first-team,” he says when asked about the U23s’ relegation from Premier League 2 Division 1. “The good thing is we saw Joffy Gelhardt doing great performances, I think he is the future of this club.
“He is a fantastic boy and maybe he cannot be in the line-up but I think in 30 minutes or 20 minutes in the final part of the game he can impact. Every time he comes in, he impacts.”
On his passion for the youth side in general, Radrizzani says in the series: “I enjoy a lot watching the under-23s this year. Initially I got a bit upset when we lose games, especially in a silly way, but then I start to not care about the result.
“I don’t even check the table, I just enjoy watching them and I don’t care if we lose or win because they always play every offensive football.”
READ NEXT
Sonny Perkins passes another audition but must follow well-trodden Leeds United pathway
Kalvin Phillips reveals Man City stars' disbelief about ex-Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa
Victor Orta makes Wilfried Gnonto claim and talks Leeds United's failed Gakpo and Dieng pursuits
Leeds United's best academy products as next generation look to follow Phillips, Gelhardt and others
Victor Orta's glowing Joe Gelhardt praise as striker lifts lid on his Leeds United switch
