LEWIS IS PAVING THE WAY
Rico backs Pep’s young stars to get their chance
TWO years ago tonight, in an American sporting mecca, Erling Haaland announced himself in typical fashion to Manchester City supporters.
With his trademark long blond locks tied up, the Norway striker took his place in the starting line-up for his debut – albeit a pre-season one – under Pep Guardiola at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, where once another coaching legend in Vince Lombardi prowled the touchline.
As an insight to what was to follow that season, Haaland settled the friendly against Bayern Munich after just 12 minutes when Kevin De Bruyne found Jack Grealish, who crossed for the new boy to slide home the only goal.
With everyone’s attention distracted by Haaland’s arrival, another pre-season debutant that night went almost unnoticed when 17-year-old City academy graduate Rico Lewis came on with nine minutes to play.
As City return to America for the first time since then, Lewis’ career has gone from academy to first team to 50 games to an England call-up.
They take on Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic tonight in North Carolina and defender Lewis has urged other City youngsters to grab their chance, because he is living proof that you never know where it might lead.
“I can’t wait [to play],” said the 19-year-old, who joined City as a sevenyear-old in July 2012.
“It’s nice to be away but after a while you want to get back out there. Training is good, but there’s nothing better than playing in a game. It’s a massive chance and opportunity for them [City’s academy stars], but the main thing is you have to enjoy it.
“It’s not a normal thing for them to be in a first-team environment, especially at the level of City.
“First of all, they need to enjoy it and appreciate that they are here, but work as hard as they can and be fully honest with themselves.
“I’m sure there’s so much quality in them that a few of them will get their big chance.”
This season, Lewis can confidently take his place among the star names that City field – from Haaland to Spain’s Euros hero Rodri.
But his last visit to America was a much more tense affair, as he revealed the conversation he had with Guardiola just before making his entry in Green Bay, where he struck a post in a game twice suspended because of fierce lightning storms.
“I was very nervous, I almost didn’t want to come on because of the nerves,” he joked.
“But the manager came over and told me I was coming on to play. That’s what basically kickstarted my career.
“Looking back, it was just something that was meant to happen. I was meant to be on the trip, I was meant to be on the bench and then come on for those last few minutes. It was amazing.
“It could’ve easily been called off so many times, but the game was just meant to happen. That game will forever be in my memory.”