West Bromwich Albion are in imperious form of late, brushing aside nearly every team they face with relative ease.
Carlos Corberan has forged a remarkable atmosphere at the Hawthorns and transformed the Baggies from a relegation-threatened soft touch into a true force to be reckoned with. Should this blistering form continue, promotion could be guaranteed.
What is also most impressive is the feel-good environment he has fostered for the players, staff and fans alike. It breeds confidence in the same way that Eddie Howe has done at Newcastle United, simply riding the wave.
It therefore offers the unique opportunity to bring through youth players with minimal risk of burdening them with the harsh realities of the Championship too early, affording them all the time to imbed and hopefully save the club millions.
One such option who could soon be set for such integration into the first team is Rico Richards, who has starred for the U23s for some time now.
Should he reach his sky-high potential, there is no reason to suggest he cannot emulate the qualities of a former Corberan player, James Rodriguez.
Should Rico Richards be given a chance?
Although brief, the Colombian did sign for the Spaniard during his small stint at Olympiacos, giving him but a glimpse of the sensational operator that has previously graced Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Everton.
Now he could look to replace that talent with another decisive asset, as the 19-year-old Richards has been impressive this season. With five goal contributions in just nine Premier League 2 matches, he operates in a similar way to Rodriguez, drifting from the right wing onto his wicked left foot.
His inclusion in The Guardian’s 2020 Next Generation list is indicative of just how well thought of this teenage sensation is, as they describe him as having “a creative eye in terms of finding others but is equally capable of carving openings for himself.”
This statement could be describing the 31-year-old, who enjoyed a fine campaign at Goodison Park where he recorded 11 goal contributions in just 23 league appearances before Rafa Benitez banished him.
Having previously been lauded by writer Alex Chaffer as a “world-class” footballer, the great Carlo Ancelotti, who has long been a fan of the attacker, also sought to praise his work rate: “I wanted James on the wing for his talents as a footballer. He is a hard worker and not selfish at all: an authentic professional.”
The “splendid” Richards – as dubbed by Joe Chapman – has that grit too but pairs it with a technical proficiency that belies his years.
He should be aiming to reach the heights of Rodriguez’s illustrious career, because even falling way short of that would see him still have a sparkling career. Regardless, all the assets are there to follow in his footsteps.
