- Lauren James Shines in England’s Victory
- James’ Path to Success Not Without Challenges
- Hayes Cautiously Nurtures James’ Talent
“Last night, as we walked around the field, we noticed a sign announcing the player of the game. I told him, ‘Take a look at that, child because that will be you tomorrow night,'” says Rachel Daly, after England’s 6-1 victory over China on Tuesday clinched the top spot in Group D and a spot in the World Cup’s round of 16.
Who was she walking with? Should that question even be asked? It was Lauren James, the newest gem in Sarina Wiegman’s Corona of Lionesses. About twenty-four hours later, James would be holding her second player of the match trophy in two games, having scored two goals and dished out three assists against China and being denied a World Cup hat-trick only by a controversial VAR call.
Daly says, “That’s how much we support her; she’s unbelievable.” “She continues to grow, and the most important thing is that we remain close to her.” Her daily learning makes her a novice gamer. She can learn from the pros, but LJ is exceptional.”
There has been a steadily increasing buzz for nearly a decade about the extraordinary talent James is fostering.
Tuesday, thunder and lightning struck Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, Australia. Over and over again. James is the spark that England’s injury-plagued season required, and with every touch, every effortless slalom through a sea of red jerseys, the team’s confidence grew.
James’ ascent to the summit was inevitable, but his path there has not been easy. As a child, she and her siblings Reece (the Chelsea and England defender) and Josh played football daily. Their development was fostered by their football coach’s father, Nigel, who operates his academy. Lauren would accompany Reece when he began playing for Kew Park Rangers and Epsom Eagles, playing with other siblings on the sidelines before joining Epsom. At the age of six, she began training with Chelsea, and at 13 she contracted with Arsenal.
“When she first arrived at Arsenal, she was too good to train with the Arsenal girls,” Nigel said on the Beautiful Game Podcast. Thus Arsenal attempted something. The coach at the time, Pedro [Martnez Losa], invited her to train with the women.
“It was all nice to hear, but your 14-year-old daughter is now training with 35- and 28-year-old women; they are mature women.
On the field, they played football, but off the pitch, they had nothing in common. People would notice this young lady. Some could accept it and place an arm around her. Some could not handle it and said, “You have no business being here.” You ought to be in school’
Arsenal struggled to secure James a position. She trained with the boys’ academy because she was too talented for the girls’ academy teams. This had never occurred previously, and despite its success, she was instructed to resume playing with the females.
The fact that James is modest and unassuming did not help. Casey Stoney, her former manager at Manchester United, wrote in her Times column, “She has a laid-back demeanor, but it hindered her early career. People pondered, “Does she desire it sufficiently?” Is she going to exert sufficient effort?'”
The issue was that her ability was so advanced for her age. And even though an amateur sport was becoming increasingly professional, it was not yet equipped to comprehend the maturing brain and body of adolescent athletes, let alone provide an elite academy environment.
In 2018, Stoney recruited James, then 16 years old, for the newly founded Manchester United team. She was technically ready for the first team, but she was still physically, mentally, and emotionally developing.
Stoney wrote in the Times, “I learned so much about the brain and how the frontal lobe develops, which is responsible for your emotions, problem-solving, and social interaction.” “It depended on how psychologically we could support and challenge her. While she was away from home, I needed to be her constant companion.
James was shielded from the limelight, and every interview request was denied.
United provided her with first-team opportunities, but it was inevitable that once her age and development caught up with her talent, the Titans would swoop, and Chelsea brought her back to London in 2021 for a fee of approximately £200,000, including bonuses.
Emma Hayes, like Stoney, has been cautious to ease James into the team, allowing her to continue maturing and reap the long-term benefits of a seasoned player. Hayes has repeatedly requested that James be given time and not be overhyped. But there is a point at which not overhyping her appears almost neglectful.
Wiegman may have omitted 21-year-old James from the starting lineup for England’s World Cup opener against Haiti to keep James out of the public eye for as long as feasible. In the absence of Fran Kirby and Beth Mead, however, the need for the inventive and unpredictable James became apparent as England struggled.
She continues to avoid the spotlight as much as possible.
In February, after a player-of-the-match performance against South Korea, Lucy Bronze summoned the reticent James to speak to the press, putting an arm around her shoulders before praising the young player. James spoke 57 words during her press conference following her efforts against China.
Instead, the remainder of the team waxes poetic. Leah Williamson referred to her as a “cheat code” in February, and England’s wounded captain repeated the insult on social media after the China match. Karen Carney wrote in March, “I haven’t been as excited about a player since Kelly Smith as I am about Lauren James.”
James is legitimate. She needs time to evolve, but she can compete and excel on the biggest platforms. During Tuesday’s ITV coverage, a smug Hayes remarked, “I hope whichever club has this player signed her to a long-term contract.”
