Lucas Herrington's Hull City Move Reminds Me of a Young Harry Kewell
When Lucas Herrington was linked to Barcelona during the World Cup, I'm sure there were plenty of Australian fans who were excited about the prospect of seeing one of our own in that famous shirt. Instead, he's ended up at Hull City. That would be a pretty substantial downgrade if you were planning a holiday. But for a young footballer, I'm not so sure it is a downgrade at all.
Why Hull City is a Good Fit for Lucas Herrington
Hull City has a very ambitious owner, Turkish media mogul Acun Ilıcalı, who decided to spend $24 million on Herrington, which could rise with add-ons. Clubs don't do that for a player they intend to have sitting on the bench.
What Comes Next for Lucas Herrington
Hull have never finished higher than 16th in the Premier League, and it was a bit of a surprise that they got promoted last season through the Championship play-offs, so they undoubtedly face a challenge to stay up. But if you are good enough as a player, people will see it regardless of where your team sits on the table, and that's the opportunity in front of Lucas now.
Playing for Hull City Will Help Lucas Herrington Develop
Playing as a centre-back for a newly promoted club means he will have a lot of defending to do. I actually think that could be good for him. He will make mistakes. He will have difficult afternoons. There will be strikers who expose parts of his game he still needs to improve. That is how you develop – and he does need to develop.
Lucas Herrington's Progression So Far Has Been Phenomenal
He's only 18, and at his age, nothing is more important than playing football. His progression so far has been phenomenal – which is exactly why you don't want that progression to be stunted, and that was the risk. He should play a fair bit of football for Hull, who are back in the Premier League for the first time in a decade.
Lucas Herrington Reminds Me of a Young Harry Kewell
He reminds me a bit of Harry Kewell when he first burst onto the scene with the Socceroos. They're obviously different players – and Harry was a lot further down the line when he made his debut for Australia because he was already playing on and off in the Premier League for Leeds United – but I mean the way in which he's been able to deal with the pressure and the expectation. It looks effortless, but I'm sure it's not.
