Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

Crawley boss Kevin Betsy says League Two side had ‘no right’ to sign Liverpool starlet

James Balagizi Crawley Ausgust 2022

Jubilant Crawley boss Kevin Betsy hailed Liverpool’s James Balagizi after the loan star helped sink Fulham on Tuesday night and said the League 2 side had “no right” to sign him.

A few eyebrows were raised when 18-year-old Balagizi swapped Anfield for Crawley in the summer. It was a deal which the League Two strugglers thanked the Premier League side for on their website.

But Balagizi has already started earning his worth after scoring and terrorising Fulham in Tuesday’s night’s 2-0 EFL Cup win.

The attacking midfielder, who joined Liverpool as an under-11 from the Manchester City Academy, also scored twice against Northampton earlier in the month. But he was brilliant against Marco Silva’s men scoring Crawley’s second goal.

And Betsy has revealed they were lucky to get the talented player, who is enjoying his first loan spell.

“I’ve known James a long time, I worked with him with England when he was 15, so I know the family,” said Betsy, who coached England at Under-15, 16, 17 and 18 level.

“These are the things when your connections are able to bring a player like him to the football club. We had no right really to be signing a player of his quality.

“But the relationship that we have and the trust Liverpool have in us as coaches to give their players to us and allow them to flourish and progress speaks volumes for what we know we can do with young players.

“James, hopefully he’s going to have a fantastic career going forward. And this is the early steps of understanding men’s football and he’s doing a really good job.”

Betsy hails ‘amazing’ Fulham

England Under-19 international Balagizi now has three goals for the season after adding to captain Tom Nichols’ opener at Broadfield Stadium.

The stunning cup upset, over a club ranked 84 places higher in the football pyramid, also had additional significance for Betsy.

He began his professional playing days at Craven Cottage before returning to launch his coaching career there.

“Fulham has been an amazing club to me,” said the 44-year-old, who managed Arsenal Under-23s last term.

“They’ve helped me so much in my career. They gave me my first chance in professional football as a young kid. I was playing for Woking part-time and Fulham signed me as a pro.

“I had an amazing three years there, getting promoted a couple of times. And Iowe them so much.

“To go back as a coach and to give back to the club was amazing. They’ve helped me in my coaching journey. Without them I wouldn’t be standing here talking to you.”