Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo, Rasmus Hojlund and Amad Diallo have played an important role in the United team over the past year. Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro and Patrick Dorgu have also been given their place in Manchester United’s investment. A lot of talent, a lot of winners. Still, few of the guys, with a few exceptions, have delivered when the pressure on and off the pitch has been greatest. United legend Jaap Stam knows who to talk to.
Jaap Stam. The Dutchman you wouldn’t meet alone in an alley, just the look would scare the water off you. On the pitch, he was the rock of the United defence that never let itself be pushed away. Now he is urging the United management to bring in darts player Luke Littler. The 18-year-old has shown he can handle the extreme pressure of every arrow that is sent off. It’s not often that Stam is impressed by teenagers, but this is a boy who should become a role model for United’s new generation of players.
“I’ve been so impressed with how Luke Littler has performed, he’s doing a fantastic job at a young age, and I spoke to him at Old Trafford last season. I told him how impressive it was that he can still perform with all the noise and shouting behind him at tournaments, it’s so hard to have that concentration and that focus,” Stam began.
“I think it’s different for certain personalities in how you approach certain situations and how you deal with it, Luke has done a great job of that. For young footballers who go from the academy to the first team of a big club, it can be very difficult. You have to think about all the attention and pressure on social media that is being put on these players,” the United legend continues.
“I think it would be good for these young players to talk to Luke about his experience and how he handles high-pressure situations. I’ve seen players go from the academy to the first team in the past and then they seem to struggle. It’s so important to have people at the club who can help that transition and make it easier for the young people to handle it and reach their potential,” Jaap Stam concludes.
Wise words from Stam.
