Premier League Player Profile: Manchester United’s Chris Smalling
Manchester United’s new signing (July 1, 2010) Christopher Lloyd Smalling, of Isthmian League side Maidstone United and EPL’s Fulham fame, plays as a defender. The player was born on November 22, 1989, and at the age of just 20, plays for one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Smalling stated playing football when he was just nine, when he joined Walderslade Boys. Chris, however, couldn’t fully adapt to any football academy and therefore decided to continue with his education. The player started doing his A levels and still there was no sign of him playing football. However, owing to his undoubted talent, Kent County approached the player and nominated Smalling for trials for the English Schools’ Football Association (ESFA) U-18 squad. The player passed the trials and represented the ESFA, where he became a first team player. Smalling featured in many matches, including a match against the Scotland Schools in April 2008.
This again sparked interest in the young defender, who started playing for Maidstone United. The player managed some impressive performances for the club and also started in the Isthmian League Cup match against Canvey Island. The defender’s height was his greatest asset, which made him lethal in aerial battles. This led him to be fully established in the starting XI. Smalling scored his first senior goal in the final match for Maidstone United, which the club won 4-2.
Smalling’s talent and ability attracted interests from many English clubs, with Fulham finally signing the player in June 2008. Fulham took the player from the Isthmian League into the Premier League, which is considered to be one of the best leagues on the planet. Smalling was made the captain of Fulham’s Development Squad. It was only a matter of time before Smalling made his Premier League debut and played the final game of 2008-09 season when he replaced Aaron Hughes in the 77th minute. It was in Smalling’s destiny that at such a tender age, he would be competing with the world’s finest players, and thus he made a few more appearances for Fulham.
In the 2009-10 season, Smalling made his first start for Fulham, when he played the full match against CSKA Sofia, in Fulham’s Europa League dream run. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, where Smalling stood as a brick wall, denying any opportunity to the Russian side. Smalling’s impressive performance in the Europa League earned him a first league start against Champions Chelsea. Smalling, however, had a disastrous debut in the league, as he scored a decisive own goal, which led to Chelsea winning the match 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Smalling, however, still attracted interest from many clubs in Europe, but signed a deal with 18-time league champions Manchester United. On 26th January, 2010, United announced that they had officially signed Chris Smalling for an undisclosed fee. Chris, however, would have to play the remaining season with Fulham and officially join United as soon as the transfer window commences. Smalling joined United officially on July 1, 2010. Sir Alex Ferguson was happy with the signing and wanted to try out the player in the coming pre-season friendlies. Smalling therefore made his first team debut where United won 3-1 in the first pre-season match against Celtic in Toronto, Canada. Smalling, owing to his inexperience, conceded a penalty, which resulted in the only goal for Celtic. Chris came back much stronger when he scored a goal against Chivas Guadalajara in United’s final match of the pre-season. United, however, lost the match 3-2.
Chris Smalling has also had a mildly impressive run in the international scene. The player featured in the England U-20 team in April 2009, where he played 45 gruelling minutes with Italy at Loftus Road. The player later made an U-21 debut for England, when they played Netherlands (the match was drawn). Smalling came on as a 58th minute substitute. He was also part of the team that beat Portugal 1-0 in the 2011 U-21 European Championship Qualifier in December 2009.
A bright future is expected for the 20 year old after having joined the most famous club in the world. From being a small time player in the Isthmian league to playing in the biggest league on the planet, Smalling is destined to reach football’s greatest, and it would only be a matter of time before he breaks in the starting XI.
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