“Whether it’s five minutes or two minutes, if I’m coming on, not a lot of kids have that, so I’m grateful for that experience.
“I’ve learnt a lot from the others as well. They are all very good footballers. I saw [Eddie] Nketiah’s finishing in training; he’s very good, a great poacher. The same with Uche as well, and he showed it with his performance.
“They are all great players to work with and look at. It was great,” the Englishman said.
Who is Benjamin Casey?
Born on February 4, 2008, in London, England, Benjamin Omena Akpowubrunei Casey has been a part of the Crystal Palace Youth setup before he turned 15.
Primarily a centre-forward, he can play on the right and left flank, as well as an attacking midfielder when given the chance, making him a well-rounded and versatile asset at such a young age.
In July 2024, Casey signed a scholarship deal with Palace ahead of the 2024/25 season. He registered his first goal of the season against Birmingham City in August 2024.
He went on to net 12 goals and one assist in his first season as a scholar; he was also the only player in the U18S side to feature in all 28 games across all competitions.
In total, Casey scored 31 goals and provided five assists in 44 games for the Eagles’ U-18 side. His good form at Palace also earned him a call-up to England’s U-18 side in September, and he’s gone on to play two games for them.
Casey harbours big dreams and is hoping that as his career blossoms, he’ll win a major European title, in a bid to emulate Ademola Lookman’s success in the UEFA Europa League with Atalanta last year.
Soccernet.ng confirmed the 17-year-old’s interest in representing Nigeria, a subject that has been on the teenager’s mind for a while, and he said it would be an honour to don the green and white colours of the Super Eagles.
Still, his priority at the moment is to keep his head down and see where his career takes him in the next few years as a club footballer, before anything else.