https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...er-phenom-follow-christian-pulisic/420446001/ https://www.usatoday.com/videos/spo...right-chasing-soccer-dream-germany/103124982/
I absolutely love that article/interview. It is great to see a mainstream publication do research on a prospect. Baby steps, baby!
Really nice article that touched on a lot of good points: 1) It's very promising that an already athletic and technical player is spending his off-time working on his athleticism in the morning and soccer skills in the afternoon. Seems like he's eating healthy as well. Haji is a high-ceiling prospect and that sort of drive to improve bodes well for the future. 2) I agree that he would benefit from developing more of a nasty streak on the field. What I've seen/read is that he needs to be more physical and work on his consistency. I'm happy that his performance coach is also working on his on-the-field mentality and will be interested to see if it pays any dividends next season. 3) While not mentioned in the article, I think that there is some room for improvement in the tactical department. Luckily, Schalke and Germany are good places to work on that sort of thing. 4) Great to hear Hanif might be joining him at Schalke. I wonder if that's what he's hoping for or whether there's an actual agreement in place. Anyways, exciting times to be a fan of the program. Ever improving prospects, developmental structure, coaching, domestic league, and even the soccer press.
The best thing we can hear/have heard about Haji from his coaching staff is that in their eyes, he improved tremendously as the season went on this year. So many "high ceiling" guys just hit a wall and never pan out or get close to fulfilling their potential. The fact that he's absorbed so much in his short time there is a good sign.
Christian #Heidel über @HajiWright, @WMckennie & Luke #Hemmerich aus der #schmiede! #s04 #SchalkeTV pic.twitter.com/fc31VDOuj6— Knappenschmiede (@knappenschmiede) June 30, 2017 Not sure what he is saying - but here's a clip from an interview about those players who made the jump from U19 to First team at Schalke.
German video with German subtitles featuring a word like "Nachwuchsleistungszentren." Seems pretty self-explanatory. “Some German words are so long that they have a perspective.” -- Mark Twain
One of his competitors for playing time, Fabian Reese, is likely to go out on loan to the second division, according to his agent. http://www.reviersport.de/354420---schalke-04-reese-soll-erneut-verliehen-werden.html That would mean his likely competition for a spot on the bench is Felix Platte (another young player who might go out on loan) and Franco Di Santo. None of these three (including Reese) are tough competition.
Haji is looking good in this game. He is so unselfish around goal and his body is so much stronger now. He looks like he is ready for battle. And ..... goal. Goal and an assist in 12 minutes.
I know this a pub team, but you still have to finish and make plays. He's doing that consistently, same with Weston.
Any clips of goals available yet? What level is there opponent, 4th div? Regardless it's great to see the production.
Look, Spielvereinigung Erkenschwick 1916 is not a good team. But Haji can only play who is in front of him. And if nothing else, he has shown that he can put the boots to the teams he SHOULD put the boots to. Its enough to keep the brass happy enough to get another opportunity, surely.