Caleb Porter Discusses Young Players Getting Overhyped
"My experience with young players is when they get thrown in and they do well, then they get overhyped, frankly."
2024 hasn’t been easy for Noel Buck. The young New England Revolution midfielder has seen his role diminished under new head coach Caleb Porter and it’s clear that the 18-year-old has some work to do in order to earn a starting spot.
After playing over 1700 minutes and appearing in 25 MLS matches for the Revolution in 2023, Buck has only played in three MLS games amounting to a measly 128 minutes. Along with a reduction in minutes, the 18-year-old has also looked like a completely different player out on the pitch. He seems to be lacking confidence and has struggled to establish himself when out on the pitch.
The Blazing Musket asked Porter about the young midfielder and he discussed how sometimes young players can be overhyped and that fans need to remember that they still need to develop.
“Yeah, he is a young player,” Porter said. “I think that's important for everybody to know. My experience with young players is when they get thrown in and they do well, then they get overhyped, frankly. And everybody needs to just calm down and just take him for what he is, which is a good young player that's still growing, still learning, and still progressing. Forget about the age, he fits in, but remember the age when you realize he needs to still grow and learn. But he fits in. He can play at this level, and I think you saw that last year and you see that this year. Where it goes from here will depend on his development and how much he continues to grow, but we're very excited about his future.”
After scoring three goals and earning international interest, it seemed like Buck was on top of the world. But he is just 18 years old and has so many years ahead of him.
On the other end of the spectrum, Esmir Bajraktarevic has earned Porter’s trust and is playing an increased role in 2024 after spending most of 2023 coming off the bench.
The recent U.S. Olympic Squad call-up discussed how he grew as a player fighting for minutes.
“Yeah, I mean, of course, the past two years I have had a lot of growth, a lot of learning experiences, with different coaches and different environments,” the winger said. “So, I'm thankful for it all, because I learned a lot from it. It kind of gave me the mindset to continue to grind, grind, grind for minutes. Yeah, it’s good.”
Right now Buck is a piece of metal being forged in the fire. His experience fighting for minutes and starts will shape him as a player and hopefully benefit him. Right now it might not feel so great but these moments could be fond memories in what could be a long career for the midfielder.
I cry BS. Esmir has had to play a lot. So, isn't that over-hyping HIM?? Buck wasn't over-hyped, he played fiercely. Now, timidly. THAT is not over-hyping, that's got to be coaching. AND HOW exactly is it helpful to hint that Buck was over-hyped??