' ENGLAND REJECTED WALES STAR / EVEN AFTER '
Tue Sep 11, 2018 8:56 am
England's bizarre 'rejection' of Wales and Chelsea sensation Ethan Ampadu is revealed amid gasps on live radio show
“I actually phoned England to make it known, how good Ampadu is"
Wednesday 11th September 2018
Radio pundits left gasping over England's 'rejection' of Ampadu
England had the chance to pinch Ethan Ampadu from under Wales' noses but rejected the Chelsea star because 'he took too few touches'.
That's the claim from Paul Tisdale, who gave Ampadu his first senior appearance at Exeter City when aged just 15.
Ampadu is one of the most talked about teenagers in football at the moment after a stunning performance in Wales' 4-1 rout of the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League last week.
He was still eligible to represent England before that game against Ireland, but Tisdale, now in charge of MK Dons, revealed he spoke to the Three Lions when Ampadu was 14, but was told they had 12 better youngsters and wanted players who took more touches on the ball.
It is known that Ampadu, who was born in Exeter, has actually always seen himself as a Wales player (his mother is Welsh) after entering the FAW system at a young age.
Paul Tisdale says England rejected the chance to bring Ethan Ampadu on board
In an interview on BBC 5Live Sport, which left pundits gasping with incredulity, he said: “I did phone England when he was 14.
"I said ‘I’ve just seen this chap play, he’s 14, he just played for Exeter under-18s, he’s four years younger, he’s played on a dreadful pitch with awful conditions, and he’s played centre forward, sweeper, centre midfield all in the space of one game and he looks like Ruud Gullit, and this chap, you need to get for England.’
“I was told they had 12 players better"
"They were aware of Ethan, and well I said ‘this chap just, he thinks correctly, he acts correctly, he makes good decisions’ and I was told that he takes too few touches.
“They were looking for players who want to take more touches which is actually his strength. He does things in one touch, two touch, he sees it early.”
Ampadu, who turns 18 on Friday, left Exeter for Chelsea in July 2017, and has gone on to make several first team appearances at Stamford Bridge and has four caps for Wales.
Tisdale added England may have also been put off by the fact Amapdu was in League Two football with Exeter at the time but admitted in all his time in football he's never seen a better 14-year-old as the centre back/defensive midfielder.
He added: “I actually phoned England to make it known.
“I spoke to very relevant people and said ‘you’ve got to get a hold of this chap. He’s such a good player.’
“I think there’s always been a hesitation to listen to someone talking about a player from League Two, but this is not a league thing, this is not about league level. A player’s a player.”
Following the revelations, radio pundit Don Hutchinson couldn't quite believe what he had heard, saying: "It makes me cringe when I hear a coach or someone in an academy saying he doesn't fancy someone because he takes few touches. That tells me he's steps ahead of everyone else on the football pitch!"
“I actually phoned England to make it known, how good Ampadu is"
Wednesday 11th September 2018
Radio pundits left gasping over England's 'rejection' of Ampadu
England had the chance to pinch Ethan Ampadu from under Wales' noses but rejected the Chelsea star because 'he took too few touches'.
That's the claim from Paul Tisdale, who gave Ampadu his first senior appearance at Exeter City when aged just 15.
Ampadu is one of the most talked about teenagers in football at the moment after a stunning performance in Wales' 4-1 rout of the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League last week.
He was still eligible to represent England before that game against Ireland, but Tisdale, now in charge of MK Dons, revealed he spoke to the Three Lions when Ampadu was 14, but was told they had 12 better youngsters and wanted players who took more touches on the ball.
It is known that Ampadu, who was born in Exeter, has actually always seen himself as a Wales player (his mother is Welsh) after entering the FAW system at a young age.
Paul Tisdale says England rejected the chance to bring Ethan Ampadu on board
In an interview on BBC 5Live Sport, which left pundits gasping with incredulity, he said: “I did phone England when he was 14.
"I said ‘I’ve just seen this chap play, he’s 14, he just played for Exeter under-18s, he’s four years younger, he’s played on a dreadful pitch with awful conditions, and he’s played centre forward, sweeper, centre midfield all in the space of one game and he looks like Ruud Gullit, and this chap, you need to get for England.’
“I was told they had 12 players better"
"They were aware of Ethan, and well I said ‘this chap just, he thinks correctly, he acts correctly, he makes good decisions’ and I was told that he takes too few touches.
“They were looking for players who want to take more touches which is actually his strength. He does things in one touch, two touch, he sees it early.”
Ampadu, who turns 18 on Friday, left Exeter for Chelsea in July 2017, and has gone on to make several first team appearances at Stamford Bridge and has four caps for Wales.
Tisdale added England may have also been put off by the fact Amapdu was in League Two football with Exeter at the time but admitted in all his time in football he's never seen a better 14-year-old as the centre back/defensive midfielder.
He added: “I actually phoned England to make it known.
“I spoke to very relevant people and said ‘you’ve got to get a hold of this chap. He’s such a good player.’
“I think there’s always been a hesitation to listen to someone talking about a player from League Two, but this is not a league thing, this is not about league level. A player’s a player.”
Following the revelations, radio pundit Don Hutchinson couldn't quite believe what he had heard, saying: "It makes me cringe when I hear a coach or someone in an academy saying he doesn't fancy someone because he takes few touches. That tells me he's steps ahead of everyone else on the football pitch!"
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Re: ' ENGLAND REJECTED WALES STAR / EVEN AFTER '
Tue Sep 11, 2018 10:10 am
HAHAHAHA.
Good lad, he was Welsh all along anyway.
Good lad, he was Welsh all along anyway.
Re: ' ENGLAND REJECTED WALES STAR / EVEN AFTER '
Tue Sep 11, 2018 10:39 am
Could be the steal of the century.I'll bet the coach who said he takes too few touches is bricking it in case his identity is made public.
Re: ' ENGLAND REJECTED WALES STAR / EVEN AFTER '
Tue Sep 11, 2018 4:47 pm
as the pundit says, the best players control the ball better, and spot passes quicker.
their loss - he looks a very good prospect, provided he doesnt get full of himself.
their loss - he looks a very good prospect, provided he doesnt get full of himself.
Re: ' ENGLAND REJECTED WALES STAR / EVEN AFTER '
Wed Sep 12, 2018 8:37 am
No doubt a badged up cretin who could not find his mother in a supermarket let alone raw natural talent.Well it is obvious if there are 12 better players available to the mighty Engerrlland they will walk the next Euros!
Re: ' ENGLAND REJECTED WALES STAR / EVEN AFTER '
Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:31 am
JIMMY SCOULAR
Did' nt you no the world Cup semi finalists ingerlund as stated last night, they probably think they will walk the euros,
Did' nt you no the world Cup semi finalists ingerlund as stated last night, they probably think they will walk the euros,
Re: ' ENGLAND REJECTED WALES STAR / EVEN AFTER '
Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:55 am
What we really need is to get him here on loan in January. 
Re: ' ENGLAND REJECTED WALES STAR / EVEN AFTER '
Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:09 pm
salopiancity wrote:What we really need is to get him here on loan in January.
Re: ' ENGLAND REJECTED WALES STAR / EVEN AFTER '
Thu Sep 13, 2018 5:36 pm
His mother is Welsh and we all know who’s really the Boss!