Leon Best - The missing link?

[eirebhoy]

Well the one player Ireland are badly in need of is a big man up front. Leon Best was born in England but has been playing for the Ireland underage. He's 17 and signed for Southampton from Notts County last July (its a good sign if a player so young is going up the divisions :) ). Here is what premierleague.com say about him:

DOB CLUB SOUTHAMPTON

HEIGHT 1.86m POSITION STRIKER

WEIGHT 80kg SQUAD NUMBER 27

PROFILE

Striker who arrived at St Mary's from Notts County in July 2003 and slotted straight into the Saints Under-17 set-up before progressing to the Under-19 and reserve sides. A regular member of Republic of Ireland youth squads, Best is a physically strong forward who holds the ball up well and can bring others into the game.

He has scored a fair few for the Ireland U-17's but the reason I opened this thread is because he scored 7 goals in his last 2 and a half matches for the Soton reserves (including 2 hatricks).

Hopefully he'll break into the first team this season which is inevitible if he keeps up with that kind of scoring.

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/Images/04_05/Academy/LeonBest_lg.jpg

[gustavo]

well if beattie leaves southampton then they will only have 1 "big man " in crouch and he isnt exactly prolific so it will be interesting to see what happens hopefully he can get his chance this season . always good to see young irish talent :D

[ccfcman]

but who would you sacrifice?

[Rathfarnham Utd]

he is a bit like a young Mike Tyson? Hard to tell without his shirt off, not that I'm remotely interested in seeing his midriff, just to get that clear.

[Dan K]

Leon Best is on the fringes of the first team, and believe me, he looks the business.

Luggy (before he was shockingly treated today) was keen to begin drafting him into the first team, and he was on the bench on Saturday, as he was once or twice at the end of last season.

Best has pace, strength and a clinical eye in front of goal. I don't think he's ready to make the leap to the senior international squad, but looking at his current progression, I expect to see him making the squad in a year or two, much in the way Andy Reid has done recently.

[eirebhoy]

Southampton reserves?

Whatever next, a trawl through the Ayr United 'C' side?

Look, I hope he makes progress, but wouldn't even consider a reserve/u17 player. I know people argue whather the top players here are better than players in the lower divisions in England etc. etc. etc., but this would make a farce of matters.
eh, I'm not suggesting we throw him in now.:D Anyone that scores so many goals at reserve level at the age of 17 obviously has a lot of potential and its only a matter of time before he breaks into the first team. I can't think of an Irish premiership striker over 6 foot tall and we could certainly do with one (I don't know what height Morrison is but he's woeful with his head so we can count him out). He had a superb partnership with McGeady at underage level, I don't know how I've only found out about him now.

[eirebhoy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/3590316.stm

Sturrock gone. Is this good or bad for Best Dan?

[Dan K]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/3590316.stm

Sturrock gone. Is this good or bad for Best Dan?
It's hard to tell. Sturrock was most certainly excited by Best's potential and really believed in him.

Wigley has been promoted from Academy manager to "Head Coach", with the very real possibility of a Director of Football coming in. However, Wigley is the man who has overseen the development of the Academy and teh development of Best from a very promising youngster into a very exciting player on the fringe of the EPL.

If Wigley's appointment is permanent (no-one seems sure at the moment) then I think it will be good for Best.

FWIW, below is a link to the report of Best's last game, where he scored a hat-trick:
http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/article.asp?article=220243&Title=Derby+Res+1+Saints+Res+4&navlid=news

[Slash/ED]

It's hard to tell weather prolific scorers at reserve level can step up as sadly it's not always the case. Remember Mellor at Liverpool? He had a goals record that was over a goal a game over two full seasons but when asked to step up to the first team he was rubbish, even in the first division. He's one to keep an eye on though but personally Elliot is the one most looking like being the next big youth player to break into the senior squad, he could be capped within the next twelve months with a bit of luck.

[eirebhoy]

Southampton have appointed head coach Steve Wigley as their new manager. He should know more about best than anyone at the club. BTW, this is a piece from Rodney Marsh when asked who he thinks will break through in the premiership and make a big impression (others mentioned players like Bentley and Reyes):

New kid on the block: There's a 16-year-old striker at Southampton by the name of Leon Best. I know he's only a baby, but I've been told the kid has everything.

http://www.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,1-1147581,00.html

I'd like this lad to break through even before the likes of Yeates and Elliott as he's just what we need.

[tricky_colour]

Best eh?

He's not related to George by any chance? :)

[colster]

You never know. It didn't take Robbie Keane or Wayne Rooney that long to break into their national sides did it. Or Micky Owen.

If the lad breaks into the Southampton side this season, you never know, we could be talking about him as a full squad member this time next year or sooner.

[blobbyblob]

Sturrock gone. Is this good or bad for Best Dan?

In fairness, if hes good enough, he will play under any manager. Especially if hes as good as hes being made out to be here. Just hope he doesnt turn out to be another "Where are they now" candidate.

[eirebhoy]

In fairness, if hes good enough, he will play under any manager. Especially if hes as good as hes being made out to be here. Just hope he doesnt turn out to be another "Where are they now" candidate.
2 words: Houllier - Partridge.

[blobbyblob]

2 words: Houllier - Partridge.

Ill give you that one

[Bowsy]

From BBC Sport's gossip column. Young Best's career is over before it's started...

"Saints chairman Rupert Lowe favours a continental-style system, which could open the way for ex-Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier, or fellow Frenchman Philippe Troussier, as director of football." (various tabloids)

[eirebhoy]

From BBC Sport's gossip column. Young Best's career is over before it's started...

"Saints chairman Rupert Lowe favours a continental-style system, which could open the way for ex-Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier, or fellow Frenchman Philippe Troussier, as director of football." (various tabloids)
I don't know if the papers are a bit late but if you scroll up the page you'll see Southampton appointed their new manager yesterday. :)

[Bowsy]

I don't know if the papers are a bit late but if you scroll up the page you'll see Southampton appointed their new manager yesterday. :)

Happy days then if this bloke knows the kid well. I think it's talking about Houllier as director of football not manager. I'm impressed Marsh singled him out. People in the know obviously think he'll play a real part in Southampton's season. Couple of years and we might have some serious options up front.

[Stuttgart88]

Very interesting that Rodney Marsh has heard great things about him.

How has he done for us at underage level? I searched for him in the FAI squad lists and I didn't find him.

Hopefully the Brits won't try and hijack him under this new rule!

[Bowsy]

How has he done for us at underage level? I searched for him in the FAI squad lists and I didn't find him.



A (very)short profile...


Leon joined the Saints from second Division Nott’s County on the last day of the March transfer window in 2003, and took his U17 bow for the Premiership side in the beginning of April of the same year.

Two weeks later he was playing at U19 level, which is where he has played for most of this season.

Best was the hero for the Irish U17s when he scored two goals in their 3-0 victory over Russia in the Four Nation tournament in the Algarve - Portugal in March 2003.

His last outing with an Irish squad was in April of this year, with the U19s in the Porto Tournament. He was born in St Ann’s, Nottingham and qualifies for the Republic through Parentage.

[eirebhoy]

How has he done for us at underage level? I searched for him in the FAI squad lists and I didn't find him.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=site%3Awww.fai.ie+%22leon+best%22

I just noticed that he has been included in the same U-19 squad as David Cassidy. I actually know David personally but haven't talked to him since his move to Derby. I look forward to seeing him to find out what he has to say about the likes of McGeady, Yeates and Best. :) I can't believe David is actually included in Derby's first squad on their official site. He was never actually a player that stood out and wasn't actually the best player in his age group in Ringsend.

[Stuttgart88]

Very interesting. thanks for the info lads.