Erling Haaland has a ‘scary, God given’ talent for scoring goals that can only be admired - not copied.
That’s according to Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley who is here in Molde where Haaland became a teenage sensation under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Hoops are preparing for tomorrow’s Europa Conference League group stage clash with the runaway Norwegian league leaders.
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Haaland was a Molde player between 2017 and 2019 before being snapped up by Red Bull Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and now Manchester City.
And his arrival on the Premier League stage has been nothing short of breathtaking after smashing 18 goals - including three hat-tricks - in 13 appearances.
Ireland legend Damien Duff revealed recently that he put together a 1 0-minute clip of Haaland’s best work to show his Shelbourne strikers.
The hope is that they can pick up little nuggets of information, particularly on the timing of runs.
But Bradley joked that Haaland must have been made in a football factory because he is such a unique talent.
“He reminds me of the original Ronaldo when he first came on the scene,” said the Rovers boss in Molde this afternoon.
“You can't defend in front, can't defend behind him, he's too strong.
“He’s a natural goalscorer and is making world class players look like kids which is incredible, a special talent.”
But Bradley doubts you can become the next Haaland just by studying him on screen.
“That's a generational talent,” he said. “I don't think you can create that or clone it by saying we’re going to do this, this and this.
“That's a different talent completely - it's scary. It’s God given. It looks like he has been cloned in a football factory.”
Bradley continued: “When you break down what he does and try to give that to players, it's incredibly difficult.
“You can clip a certain movement and ask a player to do it but they won't have his aggression or pace or understanding of when and how to do it.”
And Bradley cited an example of when Duff was on the Rovers coaching staff, how the coaches tried to analyse one of the Ireland legend’s trademark moves.
“The drag that he did late in his career - drag, drag, drag and deliver with his right foot. Defenders couldn't mark it. He was incredible.
“And, at that time, Damien didn't understand how he'd done it.
“My point is if you were going to take those clips back then and show it to a winger, well, if Damien didn't know how to do it then it's very hard for someone else to replicate.
“Neil Farrugia does it brilliantly now. But Damien was the best at it - he probably invented it really, and Robert Pires, but he didn't understand how to do it.
“If you can clip those top players and you're showing your young players, especially, it's easy to see it and watch it but then to replicate it, it's difficult.”
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