Phil Hay believes that youngster Archie Gray will get some first-team minutes this season for Leeds United.
During Leeds’ 2-1 pre-season friendly win against Brisbane Roar on Thursday, Jesse Marsch handed minutes to the majority of his first-team squad, including 16-year-old academy graduate Archie Gray.
The midfielder got a special mention by journalist Graham Smyth who highlighted the youngster’s ability to resist the urge to take a long-range shot, instead opting for a smarter pass to one of his teammates which points towards his maturity at such a young age.
Hay has claimed on The Phil Hay Show that he expects to see Gray used by Marsch this season.
(37:36) “Archie Grey, who just cruised through the whole thing it was kind of effortless with him, he looks so good and Marsch said afterwards you know I consider him a first-team player now and he will play a little bit this season, probably not a huge amount because you’ve got a squad there with Rocha in it and Adams and Forshaw as well.
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“So I don’t think Grey’s likely to get a massive run, but if you were turning to him, it’s a player who actually fits there as opposed to Robin Koch.”
TIF Thoughts on Grey…
For someone to be considered a first team player at just the age of 16 is some feat for Gray and even if he only features in a handful of games for a few minutes, it will be valuable experience that he can take forward in his career.
At just 16, it’s still likely too early to be sending Gray out on loan anywhere, instead, he will likely be better suited to training with the first team, making the bench and getting some minutes in his home comforts of Elland Road and Thorp Arch, where he can learn under Marsch, who’s clearly an admirer of his having labelled him ‘fearless‘ this pre-season.