Too much, too soon

If reports are to be believed, then Wilfried Zaha, the Crystal Palace winger, will be confirmed as a Manchester United player by the end of the January transfer window.

Many are already predicting big things for the 20 year-old, who has scored 15 goals in 124 appearances for Palace. Against the backdrop of Michael Johnson, the Manchester City midfielder, who, last week, was finally released by his employers three years after his last appearance for the club, it is particularly poignant.

Troubles with alcohol and mental health have seen a footballer, once billed as a future England star, walk away from the game a shadow of his former self and pleading to be left alone to get on with the rest of his life.

In the ensuing opinion pieces following the breaking of this news there was no one who quite said it better than the manager of Swansea City, Michael Laudrup, whose comments came after his side lost their FA Cup third round replay to Arsenal at the Emirates. They had nothing to do with Johnson.

Laudrup was speaking about a certain Jack Wilshere, whose late goal sent Arsenal through to the fourth round. After the inevitable superlatives were heaped on the young England international, he said: "You don't want to push your young players too much. Sometimes people are a little too fast, too quick with the big words...we have to let them grow because young players can always improve, that goes for Jack Wilshere too."

It was an extremely salient point from a man who absolutely knows what he is talking about. He later added: "To be world class you need more at the highest level. We are talking about a 21-year-old and we're already talking about him being the best."

Laudrup highlights an incessant problem within the English game. Our eagerness to embrace talent, coupled with an ever-increasing desire to see England challenge for major honours on the international stage only serves to cloud judgement and heighten expectation. It is this mentality that could well have contributed to Johnson failing to live up to these expectations. Expectations set by us and beyond his control.

Manchester City will feel that they have done everything to help Johnson try to resurrect his career and this is not in question. There are only so many times you can be forgiven.

So much pressure is bestowed upon English players that the moment they show a morsel of talent the floodgates open and, before they know it, they're the great white hope for the Three Lions. 

There has been a seismic shift in attitude among some of the Premier League's more established clubs with the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa favouring youth ahead of experience. 

Whilst this may bode well for the future of England and The FA following their much publicised unveiling of St George's Park, there also needs to be an emphasis on protecting those that begin as prospects and are suddenly being touted as "world class".

It is this combination of exposure, money and insurmountable media expectation that is too much, too soon for many players.

Luke Shaw, the latest product of the Southampton Football Academy, has put together a number of promising performances this season. He is just 17 but he is already being spoken of as a future England regular. 

Laudrup is right and we all have a part to play. So as the next crop of hopefuls such as Zaha and Shaw filter through, it is worth remembering the case of Michael Johnson. There are few greater regrets in life than a talent unfulfilled.