Bashiru Mohammed, a former youth coach of Caleb Yirenkyi, says he recognised the Ghanaian’s exceptional ability when he first saw him in 2015 at the age of eight.
Mohammed said Yirenkyi immediately stood out from the other young players and was given a number 10 role because of his aggressive style and influence on matches.
“I spotted Caleb in 2015 when he was just eight years old, and even at that age, his talent was exceptional. I played him in the number 10 role because of his aggressiveness and his ability to influence the game,” he said.
Speaking on Akoma 87.9 FM, Mohammed looked back on the early stages of Yirenkyi’s development and said the youngster’s approach has changed considerably over the years.
The coach admitted he is now surprised by how composed Yirenkyi appears during matches, explaining that the player was far more aggressive when he was younger.
“I am even surprised by how calm and composed he is on the pitch now because he was not like that when he was younger,” he added.
Mohammed also highlighted Yirenkyi’s leadership qualities, saying the midfielder was already taking responsibility for the development of his teammates after training sessions.
“Even at his age, after every training session, you would see Caleb gathering all the boys and correcting them on their individual mistakes. He was already showing great leadership qualities,” Mohammed said.
Yirenkyi’s route to the Right to Dream Academy was not straightforward, according to Mohammed. The coach recalled that the youngster was initially overlooked when the academy held its first trials.
Despite missing out on selection, Yirenkyi was given another opportunity to prove himself by joining the group for the academy’s examinations. He passed those tests and was subsequently chosen at the second trial.
“During the first trials when Right to Dream came, Caleb was not selected. However, I managed to include him in the squad for their exams, and fortunately, he passed. During the second trial, he was selected, and from there, the rest, as they say, is history,” he explained.
Mohammed’s account traces Yirenkyi’s progress from a highly regarded eight-year-old to a player now competing at the highest level of English football.
The Ghanaian’s development, which began with those early opportunities in youth football, has since taken him on to the international stage. His journey has now reached the English Premier League, marking the latest step in a career that Mohammed says showed outstanding promise from the beginning.
