Marco Silva Takes Pressure Off Teenage Star Luke Harris After First Wales Call-Up

The 17-year-old has been called up by Rob Page for the upcoming internationals
11:00, 15 Sep 2022

Teen sensation Luke Harris can expect to be unleashed on the Premier League any day following his debut call-up for Wales. 

The 17-year-old has been named by Robert Page in his squad of 28 for the upcoming internationals against Belgium and Poland. 

Harris, who scored in a thrilling 5-4 win for Fulham Under21s v Hull on Wednesday, has not played a single minute of league football for Marco Silva’s side. 

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But the Portuguese boss is close to throwing him into the fray and insists that Harris - who has been an unused sub several times in the top flight this term - will be protected, and also remain humble despite his new high profile. 

Such is Silva’s faith in Harris he had no reservations about bringing him into the first-team squad at the start of pre-season over the summer. But the only run-out has been in the EFL Cup to date.

And Silva, who takes Fulham to Nottingham Forest on Friday, said: “Luke is with us in the first-team squad from day one of pre-season. 

“I remember last May I had a conversation with him and was clear what the path was with me at this club. 

“Since that moment I decided he would be with us. He will have games, he will be on the bench, he will have some minutes.  We must be patient with him as well and not put too much pressure on. 

“But the Wales call-up was great news for him and his family, and also for us as well because we have believed in him. 

“He has a great career ahead of him, definitely, and it is important for us that he comes from our academy and we can make him grow as a player.  

“He played ninety minutes for the Under 21s this afternoon and that is the way we will develop his skills. And he will have his time in the first team because he has the quality. 

“It is a very good statement for a 17-year-old to be called for the national team, and we are here to support him.  

“For a boy that was just 17 years old last March, first he has one thing that is really important in my opinion in football - he is humble enough to understand the situation. 

“He understands everyone can see his qualities, he has the talent to be in the future a top, top player but he is still really humble, open to learn every single day, working really hard. 

“He is still growing as a football player, he is a midfielder, can play outside sometimes as well but we see him much more as an offensive midfielder. 

“And he has the ability and the purpose to arrive in the box, and score goals. It is not easy to find in a midfielder with this capacity to arrive in the box, be in the right spot to score. 

“And he has it. it is up to us to keep working on him and of course to grow in other aspects of his game.  

“He is protected - by ourselves, by the Wales manager as well, and by his family. He is a very good boy, living with his feet on the ground. 

“And it will be important for him to be in a good environment as well, there is a lot of quality around him when he is working with us. 

“The main thing for me is that I'm 100 per cent sure that when he comes back from the national team he will be the same Luke - and that is important. 

“We expected the Wales call from one month ago, we started to hear that he would probably get called up and that is a good thing - it wasn't a big surprise for us.” 

Harris caught the eye outside Fulham when smashing in an 11-minute hat-trick for Fulham U23s against Newcastle earlier this year. 

Wales boss Page said of Harris: “He has been in the system now for a few years. He’s a talent and an exciting prospect and is doing really well at his club  - and he scores goals. 

“When you have someone with that talent - albeit that he’s just turned 17 years old - then I am not bothered about his age. 

“I have shown that in the past with others I have worked with at Under-21 level and the younger age groups. If I think they are good enough, they will come in and be part of the environment. 

“For these two games, I think it’s a great opportunity for him to come in and get a taste of it, to experience it, and for us to have a look at him. We can see what we have seen at club level. 

“I like that he’s an attack-minded player, but he also has an eye for goal. When you have someone scoring goals - including regular hat-tricks - then it makes him an exciting prospect and one I can’t wait to get involved with the other boys.” 

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