Portugal’s golden technology is slowly rising collectively beneath Roberto Martinez. The likes of Antonio Silva and Goncalo Inacio in defence, Joao Neves in midfield or Trincao in assault, there’s burgeoning high quality all through the pitch. There was a worry, nevertheless, that it was a once-in-a-generation crop. Not true. The subsequent wave is already coming because it seems like SC Braga’s Roger Fernandes will probably be on the high of it.
When folks discuss Portuguese wonderkids, Sporting Lisbon, Porto, and Benfica are the three golf equipment that come to thoughts. Roger Fernandes is about to interrupt that pattern and in a manner that appears particular.
So, who’s Roger Fernandes and why is he producing a lot pleasure in Portuguese footballing circles when that crowd has already seen a golden technology develop collectively?
Who’s Roger Fernandes?
Roger Fernandes is an 18-year-old attacker/ahead who performs for SC Braga. His rise has been meteoric and that’s additionally understating it. In simply the 2023/24 season, he has performed in SIX competitions. That’s what occurs whenever you begin the season with the U18s, progress to the B staff and by the point the season is ending, you’re already beginning to change into a key member of the primary staff.
Essentially the most ridiculous factor about Fernandes is that he has taken each step up in stage in his stride like he’s enjoying within the park along with his associates. The swagger, the character, and the sheer self-confidence in his expertise translate to all ranges which is why he has been so profitable.
Then once more, purely self-confidence and swagger by no means made anybody world-class. Simply ask Nicklas Bendtner! The factor is, Roger Fernandes combines it with breathtaking expertise and an finish product which isn’t regular for a child his age {and professional} expertise.
So, what sort of participant is he?
Roger Fernandes enjoying fashion
Fashionable soccer has change into more and more intense, with a pointy deal with techniques, patterns, and particular participant roles greater than formations. Two positions/roles which have change into nearly extinct within the fashionable recreation are that of a basic No. 10, “the creator”, and the old-school winger.
That is the period of the within ahead who begins on the “unsuitable wing” and cuts inside to change into a objective menace. In some groups, inside forwards are the principle objective threats, with the striker’s function primarily to hyperlink play up and invite these large forwards to chop inside and rating, like Liverpool.
Roger Fernandes says no. As a left-footed participant who performs on the left wing, Fernandes is a striker’s dream. He’s speedy, extraordinarily nimble and shifty, and dribbles like a dream within the mould of a conventional winger who goes exterior on the byline and crosses to the centre.
The outcome? He’s an help machine in any respect ranges he has performed at. Simply in senior soccer, Roger Fernandes has performed simply 591 minutes of soccer on the time of writing and already has two targets and 7 assists. 9 targets involvements in about 600 minutes is world-class for a ahead. For a teen in his first style of senior soccer who additionally bucks the normal pattern of a winger? That’s preposterous.
Fernandes’ case of how he ended up reviving the normal winger place is a curious one. He began out as a left-back however his attacking thrust and high quality on the ball was manner too good to be left in his personal half for almost all of the sport. In consequence, he stored transferring upwards on the pitch and ended up as a left-winger.
That shift, nevertheless, has allowed him to hone his recreation in a manner {that a} participant who has at all times been an attacker wouldn’t have. Resulting from this shift, he can at all times be relied upon to place in a shift defensively, a requirement for a winger these days. He has a great sense of chopping assaults off via interceptions and serving to out his fullback in defence to keep away from overloads out large.
All of it ends in him having the potential to change into an entire winger within the purest sense. One who would make the nice outdated “4-4-2” fanatics burst with satisfaction.
Roger Fernandes potential
There have been many gamers in historical past who began out as defenders and ended up turning into a few of the world’s most ferocious attackers. A standout instance, who began out in the identical place as Fernandes, in truth, is Gareth Bale.
Nonetheless, Bale transitioned as per the calls for of recent soccer and moved to the appropriate wing the place he might reduce in on his left to unleash howitzers from the appropriate half-space.
In a barely much less glamorous comparability when it comes to title however extra apt when it comes to enjoying fashion, count on Roger Fernandes to change into a left-footed Antonio Valencia. Valencia began out as a conventional winger on the appropriate and with age, dropped deeper to change into a right-back.
Clearly, Fernandes seems to have a far greater ceiling than Valencia however for tips about learn how to make himself stand out in a world filled with inside forwards all doing the identical factor, there are far worse examples to look as much as.
At his greatest, Fernandes will probably be a menace for the opposition defenders, needing to be often doubled up upon to include his menace. If he’s paired with a wise fullback who can underlap in addition to overlap, he’ll be capable of unleash his full array of expertise. Add to {that a} scientific ahead who can end the quite a few probabilities he creates with these expertise, and a staff could have a banker 20-goal involvements/season participant.
Within the fast future, nevertheless, the main focus is on turning into the primary title on the teamsheet at SC Braga which, if his performances thus far are something to go by, the supervisor won’t have a selection within the matter for lengthy!
