Callum Hudson-Odoi feels that he is almost back at the start of his career.
The mentality of the wing player now, like then, is in every game with feeling that he can score or help, be part of the conversation around the Senior Team of England and try again to impress Thomas Tuchel.
Now 24, the three-cap England International is an important part of a Nottingham Forest side that has retained their Premier League form to close to the qualification of Champions League. Forest is also confronted with a trip to Brighton in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup on Saturday.
Six years ago, Hudson-Odoi was one of the most exciting prospects in English football. He had been the Golden Boy of Chelsea Academy, where the club returned bids to sign him in the transfer star of January 2019 from Bayern Munich.
He debuted England under Gareth Southgate in March and came as a replacement in a 5-0 win over the Czech Republic in a euro 2020 qualification match. He was 18 and became the youngest to play for England in a competitive international match, broke the 64-year-old record of Duncan Edwards.
But in April 2019 he tore his Achilles tendon in a match against Burnley. The tendon completely detached from the bone and his seven months from the game was followed by further setbacks.
“I played games week in, week out, got my first call for England and I got up and boom, everything collapsed,” he told BBC Sport. “It was difficult, it was very difficult.
“At the time, I just thought, am I going to be the same player that I was? Will I be able to sprint or kick a ball again?”
Maurizio Sarri was Chelsea's manager at the time of the injury, followed by Frank Lampard. But it was Tuchel who gave Hudson-Odoi his most minutes on the field in Stamford Bridge.
However, it was not all easy. Tuchel, now the manager of England, gave him a dose of “tough love”.
In a 1-1 draw with Southampton in February 2021, Hudson-Odoi came up during the break, but was then replaced 31 minutes later, with the German coach who told journalists that he was “not happy with his attitude, energy and counter pressure”.
“Maybe it's even unfair, but it was my feeling,” Tuchel said.
“I dropped it off. We demand 100%. I feel that he is not in the right form to help us.
“He knows what I demand from him and when he does not reach this level, it is a difficult decision.”
Fast Vooruit to this season and the form of Hudson-Odoi for Forest-Hij has five goals and two assisted speculation about him that Tuchel's first England team made and a return to the National Setup after achieving his third and so far in a 4-0 victory over Kosovo.
He missed the 26-man team but spoke before the international break about playing under Tuchel, he said: “We sometimes had our differences and that is normal. Every player and coach has his differences.
“Fun [when Tuchel had me] Playing wing back and I am like why am I here?
“But it was to benefit the team and it benefits myself, so that I can work on my defensive game.
“It's good that we had that moment and we talked about it. He is a great manager and he knows how to get the best out of players.
“As the possibility and opportunity [for England] Come – I will have to go there and prove myself completely.
“I just check what I can control. It's about enjoying my football again, to be smiling and positive.”
Hudson-Odoi says that he is “more mature” who has experienced so much since he made his professional debut at the age of 17.
However, he insists that his motivation to return to the level that made him the most coveted young person in the country comes from within.
“I don't want to prove anything,” he said. “It's about proving myself that I can still be the player I was – to go back to a level where I knew I was going to score or help – and to be trust where I know that I have an influence in every game.”
Hudson-Odoi also dreams of success among forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
“This season everything has just changed – from mentality to determination,” he said.
“It's just a big ride of ours and we try to push each other every day. We know we can do this.
“We know where we are, but we have to keep dreaming and believe like a team.”
Comments