Leeds United kicked off their pre-season with a 4-0 victory over Blackpool on Thursday evening and although one of the Whites' new signings was on display in midfield, it was his partner in the middle of the park who drew most of the attention. That's because it was 16-year-old academy product and great nephew of club legend Eddie Gray, Archie Gray, who lined up alongside Roca.
Whilst all would do well to keep in mind the low intensity of the fixture, it's impossible to ignore how comfortable Gray looked playing against experienced Championship opponents at only 16. He was reliable in possession, carried the ball very well and competed with opposition midfielders physically. In the end, Blackpool were reduced to fouling him often and the youngster left the field limping after an hour.
This performance was enough to further excite fans about Gray's chances of making a contribution to the first-team. Jesse Marsch then added to that, as he told the press after the game, "I think he'll play. How much or how often [we don't know yet], we’re going to have a strong group I think we’re going to need our full roster."
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"I’m not the type of person to say we need to take him along carefully," he continued. "If he shows he’s ready for big challenges like he did tonight, we’ll give him those big challenges."
However, whilst excitement about Gray's potential does appear to be warranted, everybody involved would do well to not rush things with the 16-year-old. Of course, Marsch is not suggesting that Gray is about to play 30 games in the Premier League next season, but there is a lesson to be learned from the fact that Jack Wilshere retired at the age of only 30 on Friday.
There was once a time when Wilshere was England and Arsenal's great hope in midfield and after a half-season loan to Bolton Wanderers at 17, he played 49 games in all competitions for the Gunners in 2010/11. At that point in time, Wilshere's talent was so clear to see and nobody accused Arsene Wenger of overplaying the youngster but with hindsight, that appears to be what happened.
After that incredible breakout season, including a stunning performance against Barcelona in the Champions League, Wilshere's body struggled to keep up with the weight of game and he began to pick up regular injuries. Those would ultimately go on to derail his career and stop him from hitting the heights expected of him. Considering how often players continue well into their 30s, his retirement at just 30-years-old should come as a warning to young players. It's important to play senior football early for development but there is such a thing as playing too much too soon.
In Gray's case, this is simply a cautionary tale. He may well prove himself ready to make a Premier League debut for Leeds at the age of 16, as James Milner once did. Of course, Milner has gone on to have an incredibly successful and long career, but his trajectory was very different to that of Wilshere's.
Milner made his debut at 16 and played a further 17 times in the 2002/03 season, scoring twice. Crucially, though, many of those appearances were short substitute appearances and he played only just over 500 minutes in the competition. This meant that whilst he made he debut early, he was not pushed too far physically before his body could cope.
That kind of introduction would make sense for Gray. Perhaps he will make a first-team debut in cup competitions and could be introduced from the bench in the league, with the new five substitutes rule providing increased opportunities for that to happen. In Gray, Leeds believe they have a star for the future, they need to manage him carefully to ensure that he goes on to become the player they hope he can be.
