Jack Lang has published a really great profile of Ecuadorian wonderkid Kendry Paez for the Athletic this morning, giving some background on the attacking midfield prodigy who will join Chelsea next summer.
One anecdote in particular stood out, of how the teenager pressured his manager to promote him to the first team squad, despite his tender years:
“The teenager became a full-time nuisance to [manager Martin] Anselmi, constantly accosting him at the training ground and asking when he was going to be called up to the first team.
“Sometimes, when Anselmi passed him in the corridor, Paez would simply point his index finger upwards, indicating that it was time for a promotion. Over time, he grew even more confident. ‘I’ll be your No 10,’ he would tell Anselmi, to howls of amusement from anyone within earshot. ‘And captain.’
Before long he was called up to the first team by Anselmi, and he’s never looked back.
Entertaining arrogance which is well deserved
We absolutely love that little story, and it’s great to get a little insight on what Paez is actually like. We’ve seen countless clips of him doing ridiculous things with a football since he signed for Chelsea a year ago, but we’ve heard almost nothing about what he’s like as a person.
One had to assume that a 15 year old playing with grown men was going to be precocious and confident, but of course this is a level up even on that.
Arrogance in football is a great thing – if you can justify it. And so far his meteoric rise is doing just that. Things will be different when he comes to Chelsea of course, but we’re sure that going from being the big fish in a small pond to being a small fish in a big pond on the other side of the world will have a naturally humbling effect on him.
We just can’t wait to see his swager in a Blue shirt – there’s still a year to wait, but the hype is building already.
Paez Palmer mudryk estavio noni if possible olise . Plus well rounded striker . Now get a solid center midfielder to add up with center back and left back . Let this team to compete against any team in EPL. God bless Chelsea FC . Hope maresca keep the player’s happy no dressing room unrest . Makes the formation and tactics spot on . Come on blues .