Football agent Hayden Evans has revealed that Joe Gelhardt's representative Paul Stretford rates the Leeds United youngster in the same bracket as he did a young Wayne Rooney. As a youngster, Rooney was on Stretford's books and went on to become one of English football's most decorated stars, having burst onto the scene as a teenage sensation at Everton.
Speaking on the 'Leeds That' podcast, football agent Hayden Evans, a Whites supporter who represents a number of young Leeds United players including Charlie Cresswell, stated that Stretford handed Gelhardt some lofty praise.
“I know his agent really well, Paul Stretford," explained Evans. "He was Wayne Rooney’s agent.
READ MORE: Burnley have two key injury doubts for Aston Villa as they look to extend lead over Leeds United
"When Stret brought him [Geldhardt] here, he called me and said “I’m bringing one of the best I’ve ever seen to your club, I’m telling you now.” I’ll go by that. But we have nurture him just don’t let him burn out.
“His best client at a young age would have been Wayne. So he’s comparing him to Wayne.”
As an agent to upcoming footballers, Evans is hype aware of expectations ruining their careers. Throughout the podcast, the agent was keen to stress just how much a young player's confidence can be knocked by adverse performances.
In recent weeks, there have been plenty of calls for Jesse Marsch to use the likes of Gelhardt upfront. But with a relegation struggle currently ongoing at Elland Road, Evans urged caution over putting too much pressure on a young talent like Gelhardt too early.
"I think you can kill young players," explained Evans. “I hear the shouts for young players and yes, obviously, it serves a purpose for us to get young players in playing first-team football. But you can absolutely destroy them.
"And particularly in intense situations where you’ve got a packed Elland Road, you’re fighting relegation battles and everything else, as much as they look great and as much as they look like their capable, that’s a huge, huge amount of pressure early.
"If they have a 'mare in a game - that’s not a one-game setback like it is for a senior pro. That’s a whole load of work for everyone around him to try and pick him up to make him realise he is good enough and that was a one-off.
"I’m never that keen, particularly on starts - you know people saying “start Joffy [Joe Gelhardt], start Joffy” - just let him carry on as he is doing because he’s an unbelievable footballer and it’ll all come good. But, you could also kill him. It’s a really difficult balance."
