When Timi Max Elsnik takes to the field against England on Tuesday, chances are the Slovenia midfielder will have a flashback to an Under-17 European Championship qualifier between the countries in the more modest surrounds of Chesterfield nine years ago. England won 3-1, the captain Reece Oxford opening the scoring, but Elsnik was arguably the best player on the pitch. Elsnik, a tidy technician, displayed much of the ability he has showcased so far at Euro 2024: composure under pressure, poise on the ball and an eye for a pass.
Elsnik was unattached at the time but on the radar of Derby County, whose then academy director Darren Wassall and coach Pat Lyons took in the game. “He could handle the ball, his first touch was excellent,” Wassall says. “We always looked for players who could play forward. He knew where the next pass was going, his left foot excellent, he hardly gave the ball away and didn’t play safe. He was not worried about making a mistake; creative players probably give the ball away a little bit more because they’re trying to make things happen. You always felt his technical ability was better at a higher level, playing with better players.”
