Janusz Michallik has claimed that Manchester City have a player who will not be talked about as “one of the best in the world” in 20 years.
It is fair to claim that to make such a suggestion is bold, especially considering how many talented players City have who are in their early twenties.
For instance, Phil Foden, who is just 23 has all the potential to go right to the top, with Pep Guardiola tipping him to go down as a “legendary player.”
Similarly, 20-year-old Oscar Bobb is a “fabulous player”, as Graeme Souness claimed and at such a young age, he looks like he belongs in Manchester City’s first-team.
Janusz Michallik says Erling Haaland will not go down as “one of the best in the world” 20 years from now
As for Rico Lewis, he showcased in City’s 0-0 draw against Arsenal that he is ready to partake in some of the biggest games in football, despite last playing for his boyhood club in early March.
To write off any one of Foden, Bobb or Lewis would be absurd, considering how much they have already achieved in their careers.
However, Janusz Michallik was actually discussing Erling Haaland when doubting whether he will be viewed as one of the best in the world two decades from now.
“In 20 years from now, we’re not going to be talking about Erling Haaland, I don’t think as one of the best in the world. We may be talking about him in terms of one of the great finishers”, he said [via ESPN UK].
Michallik continued his asssesment of Haaland, saying, “He’s played in some good teams and if we goes to Real Madrid, he’s going to continue to score goals but when you look at his all-round game, it’s fair to criticise him. How many games like this have we seen? These are the games they have to deliver.”
“Not five goals against, I don’t know, this season, he scored against Chelsea, we know where they are, one goal against Liverpool, okay, injuries here and there but it’s okay to criticise him.”
Erling Haaland is destined to go down as a legend of the game
In our view, Janusz Michallik is incorrect in his assessment of Erling Haaland for two reasons.
Firstly, the £51 million man is already the type of goalscorer football has rarely seen, especially at his age and even if he does not improve his all-round game, the level he is already at will ensure he remains an elite striker and one that shatters goalscoring records and subsequently win trophies galore.
For this reason alone, Haaland is destined to go down as an absolute great of the game.
Secondly and perhaps more pertinently, just because a player is not as complete as some of his counterparts does not necessarily mean they cannot be viewed as one of the best in the world.
Erling Haaland perhaps is not as well-rounded a player as say, Kevin De Bruyne or Vinicius Junior but the value he brings to Manchester City in terms of being a world-class goalscorer automatically puts him in the discussions amongst the best players in the world.
There is simply no conclusive evidence to suggest how fans and pundits will view Erling Haaland two decades from now, just because he might not be as complete a player as some might expect him to be such as Janusz Michallik.
