The England camp in the United States will be a slightly quieter place this week following the departure of Rio Ngumoha. The young attacker has not ju...
The England camp in the United States will be a slightly quieter place this week following the departure of Rio Ngumoha. The young attacker has not just been a passenger in the squad; he has left a real impression on the coaching staff and his senior teammates. For a player of his age to arrive into that high pressure environment and immediately look comfortable in transitional play is no small feat. He has carried the ball with conviction, shown tactical flexibility when asked to drop into a low block, and his decision making in the final third has been surprisingly mature. You could see the confidence growing in him with each passing session.It is that very composure which has convinced the hierarchy that he is ready for the next step. While he leaves the national team setup this week, his summer is far from over. The real story here is what comes next. Ngumoha will fly back to America next month, but this time he will be wearing Liverpool red. Jurgen Klopp's side have scheduled their pre season tour in the States, and the youngster is expected to be a prominent part of that travelling party. Think about that for a second. He goes from training with England's World Cup hopefuls straight into a gruelling pre season with one of the most demanding managers in Europe.This is where the kid gloves come off. Pre season tours are not a holiday. They are a brutal physical examination, a chance for the manager to see who can handle the heat, the travel, and the tactical demands of a top side. For Ngumoha, this is his audition. He has already proven he can mix it with the best on the training pitch for his country. Now he needs to show he can absorb a full tactical plan and execute it against grown men in competitive friendlies. If he does that, he will not just be a name on a teamsheet for the League Cup. He could be a genuine option for the Premier League squad.There is a real buzz around this kid within the game, and not just from the usual hype merchants. The way he takes the ball on the half turn, his willingness to run at defenders, and that clinical edge in front of goal... these are not traits you can teach. They are instinct. England's loss for the next few weeks is very much Liverpool's gain. The question now is whether he can handle that pressure of being the next big thing to roll off the production line at Anfield. Squeaky bum time for the lad, but he looks built for it.
