Few would challenge a father on any topic when it comes to their son, but Jesse Marsch was happy to give Andy Gray some food for thought on Archie this summer. Leeds United’s schoolboy sensation has proved to be the big story of pre-season after linking up with the first-team squad and impressing on the field.
The 16-year-old first caught the eye when Marcelo Bielsa included him in the travelling party at Tottenham Hotspur last November. Bench inclusions would follow as injuries ravaged the squad, but Marsch has kicked the narrative on this summer.
Not only is Gray going to be considered a first-team player, but he will play and not just sit on the fringes. Marsch first spoke about the teenager after the first friendly of the summer at York when Gray excelled.
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After starting in the double pivot alongside Marc Roca, Gray pushed forward later in the game and played as an attacking midfielder behind the striker. Marsch is not going to pigeonhole his prodigy, but he sees goals and assists in his future.
“[After starting in a deeper role] we moved him more into the 10 and he was able to do some pretty clever things too,” said Marsch. “He’s a six, eight, 10.
“I had a good talk with Andy in the summer and Andy thinks, like how he played today, he’s good in a deeper position. I said ‘no way, man, he’s about final plays and scoring goals.’
“He can do all those things because he’s intelligent and he’s clever. We’ll use him in a few different roles.”
Charlie Cresswell is more than three years older than Gray, but unlike the midfielder, has left Elland Road in search of regular first-team minutes next season. When Marsch was asked why one is staying and one has left, he could not stop himself from getting excited about the youth.
“For Charlie, it was important he understood a lot of things and he needs bigger challenges of first-team football where results matter every moment,” he said. “Archie’s still 16.
“It’s important he still lives at home, a part of his family environment, but we challenge him in our professional environment every day and then let’s see. I can’t help, but get excited when I talk about him because you can see it’s not just his talent, it’s his personality and he shows that when he plays.
“He’s ready for some big challenges so let’s see how it goes.”
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