Saido Berahino, West Bromwich Albion’s exciting young striker, is very much the name on people’s lips -and not just in the Black Country – following his spectacular introduction to Premier League football with the match-winner at Old Trafford last weekend.
Having been at the club since the age of ten after fleeing war-torn African nation Burundi with his mother, everyone at the Albion has been aware of the precocious talent Saido possesses. Loan spells away from the club at Northampton, Brentford and Peterborough have further enhanced the belief that he could be something special, whilst his goals-to-game record with England at all
age groups from U16 right up to U21 has catapulted him into the thoughts of many more onlookers. Indeed, England manager Roy Hodgson has seen Saido up close on the training ground whilst in charge of West Brom and his choice to select him for the one Under 21 match in which he took charge of was rewarded with a goal, much like Gareth Southgate’s continued faith was in his first match in charge.
Following a loan spell at Peterborough last season which was cut short by a serious knee ligament injury, it was to be expected that another spell out on loan would be on the cards for Berahino as he continued his footballing education. On the training pitch and during pre-season however, he caught the eye of pretty much everyone with his sharpness and finishing ability. Indeed, his link up play with new signing Nicolas Anelka during pre-season looked extremely encouraging and offered fans the hope that Albion would finally produce a ‘home-grown’ attacker of genuine Premier League quality.
Fans of any club will stand by and support the development of Academy-nurtured talent but when that talent is a forward, the excitement is multiplied ten-fold, for we all love a match-winner. An emergence of this calibre will also go some way to hopefully convince Chairman Jeremy Peace that continued and even increased investment in the Academy is an extremely worthwhile avenue to pursue.
With not much more than ten minutes on the clock last Saturday in Manchester, and Scott Sinclair on the deck clutching his leg, Head Coach Steve Clarke had a few different options up his sleeve on the bench but opted for the brave, bold choice of rewarding young Saido with his Premier League bow following four goals in two Capital One Cup games this season. And he didn’t disappoint. Tireless work on the wing to nullify United’s attacking threat accompanied his superb movement and link up play, whilst on another day he could’ve had a hat-trick following heading a glorious chance wide in the first half and David De Gea producing a good stop in the second. The chance that he did take, following another excellent Albion build up including a great lay-off from Albion’s other man-of-the-moment, and scorer of the superb opening goal, Morgan Amalfitano showed that Berahino is a true talent. Left-footed, the ball flew like a tracer into De Gea’s left-hand corner, cutting daisies as it arrowed it’s way into the back of the net, sending the travelling Albion fans into delirium – a state not felt by Albion fans in that part of the world since December 30th 1978. Granted, this was not a 5-3 result, but it was our generations equivalent and was no less deserved than it was on that incredible day 35 years ago. The memory will last just as long too.
Going on to join the ranks of those Albion greats from ’78 is Berahino’s task now and one which he should attack with youthful relish and fearlessness. He will also be rewarded with an improved contract from which his current £850 per week wage (don’t you just love agents loose lips!) will be dwarfed. Keeping his feet on the ground and his ego in check will be the responsibility of Albion’s coaching staff and the rest of the playing squad.
Should he repeat his goal scoring exploits against Arsenal on Sunday, keeping the fans excitement in check may prove a much more difficult task.
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