Borussia Dortmund wasted no time in taking advantage of Jadon Sancho’s return to the Bundesliga, with the England international making an instant impact.
Sancho provided assists in his first two games after returning on loan from Manchester United and then scored in the Champions League victory over PSV Eindhoven.
Dortmund coach Edin Terzic revealed that Sancho is “full of joy” since his return to Signal Iduna Park.
Sayce Holmes-Lewis, coach and former footballer who knew Sancho from his beginnings at Watford, spoke exclusively with mirror football about the resurgence of the young player.
Holmes-Lewis recalled his shared experiences at the London Youth Games with his mutual friend Reiss Nelson, who now plays for Arsenal, and highlighted the importance of supportive relationships in football.
Dortmund coach Edin Terzic revealed that Sancho is “full of joy” since his return to Signal Iduna Park
Jadon Sancho won the Man of the Match award for his performance against PSV Eindhoven
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Regarding his connection with Sancho and Nelson, Holmes-Lewis admitted that he has “always been close” to both Reiss and Jadon.
He spoke about the importance of having people around you that you can trust in the world of football: “It is not easy for them because they have abandoned their communities, they are in the spotlight and the lack of support they sometimes receive from clubs… Because, you know, they have huge amounts of money and they end up going back to the people they trust.’
Reflecting on Sancho’s development alongside players such as Nelson and Ian Poveda, the Colombia international, Holmes-Lewis highlighted the value of nurturing talent in environments conducive to individual expression, such as street football.
Holmes-Lewis acknowledged the efforts of academies to replicate the dynamic nature of street football, but highlighted the irreplaceable elements of those grassroots experiences. He highlighted the need to maintain opportunities for young players to develop creativity and resilience.
Asked for advice to offer young footballers, Holmes-Lewis added: “I would say keep those trusted people around you, people who will hold you accountable and tell you the hard truths.”
Sancho’s father had asked the manager for his opinion on his move to Germany when he first played for Dortmund, to which Holmes-Lewis admitted it was a “big shout”.
“We saw what he did during his time at Dortmund, his first spell, and now we see him coming back to Dortmund and getting a feel for the game again, being supported in a way that maybe he isn’t at Man United.” “But now you’re seeing how he expresses himself on the field and plays like he loves it again.” He continued.
Sayce Holmes-Lewis admitted he has “always been close” to Reiss Nelson and Jadon Sancho
Holmes-Lewis highlighted the value of nurturing talent in environments conducive to individual expression, such as street football.
Jadon Sancho celebrates with his teammates after giving Borussia Dortmund an early lead against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Sancho escaped from Man United to his former club Dortmund on loan, but his future remains unknown
On the importance of maintaining a love for the game beyond eye-watering salaries, he revealed that young people “need to understand ‘why am I playing this game?’ “What’s my motivation? Is it money? Is it cars? Is it women? No, it’s not, it’s because I love this game. And yes, I get paid for it, but I want to enjoy it at the same time.”
After opening a new 4G pitch on the Aylesbury Estate in south London, where Reiss Nelson and Holmes-Lewis grew up, the pair expressed the importance of street footballers in “producing the best generational talent”.
Referring to Matthew Le Tissier, Paul Gascoigne and Wayne Rooney as some of the game’s greatest ‘street footballers’, farms and cage football provided unique environments for successful young talents to flourish.
“We’re losing that kind of individuality in the game and that freedom of expression, and that’s where we get those players from.” From those groups, those who are playing on those fields and expressing themselves on a daily basis.
“I think with the small cages that we used to have, those small games that Reiss and Jadon played and the players that I coached, you had to be able to manipulate the ball just to be able to survive in those games. with the physical element. The mixed gender groups and age you had to take care of yourselves.’
Dortmund travel to Bayern Munich for their next Bundesliga clash on Saturday, while Manchester United visit Brentford for a Premier League clash in the capital.