What’s next for Karamoko Dembele? by Jake McGhee
Introduction
Karamoko Dembele’s emergence took the world by storm, clips of his tiny frame dancing in and out of defenders and displaying lightning quick speed at such a tender age had everybody jotting his name down and keeping our eyes peeled for his next performance. But since his days of internet stardom and world wide recognition he has slipped out of the public eye, but why is this?
Dembele’s style of play
To start with it’s important to talk about Karamoko as a player, he is evidently gifted, displaying some of the best close control and dribbling you’re likely to see in a young player. His dribbling is certainly his strongest asset, alongside his blistering pace, Karamoko thrives in 1-on-1 situations as he can showcase his wide variety of skills and bypass the defender. Surprisingly, he has proven to be stronger than many thought, his short stature is deceiving as he is a very determined player who often opts to get back up and continue running instead of taking the foul.
The past and the future
With all of this in mind it’s a bit confusing to see how little game time he has had at Celtic, from making his u-20 debut at the age of 13 to being stuck on the bench or in the reserves. So why is this? Simply put, it is down to managers not giving him a chance, Neil Lennon in particular didn’t give the pint-sized winger much of a look in. Anytime he has featured he was shown why he should earn a place in the squad yet bizarrely he is left out, now with Ange Postecoglou at the helm Karamoko will likely feel encouraged by the early signs, Ange has spoken about how much trust and faith he has in youth and how he implements young players into his style of play. Liel Abada and Stephen Welsh are brilliant examples of Ange’s philosophy, 2 young players who have repaid Ange’s faith in them. The Israeli winger and Scottish centre half’s success begs the question: will Ange show the same faith in Karamoko?
Personally, I could see Ange giving Karamoko a run to see how he adapts to Ange’s fast, intense style and if he is successful I am confident Ange will give him the backing he deserves. If Karamoko doesn’t feature however, I could see him going out on loan to another team or even securing a move to another team as he is undoubtedly sought after as one of the most talented young players out there.
Karamoko is a player I believe would fit perfectly into Ange’s style of play, quick, direct and flowing are words which all encapsulate the Australian’s philosophy of play, these are also key characteristics in Karamoko’s game, knowing this he seems like the perfect fit. However with the emergence of Liel Abada and Kyogo Furuhashi effectively cementing their spots in the Celtic attack Karamoko may have a hard time getting into the team, likely having to contest a spot on his favoured right wing with Liel Abada or local boy James Forrest.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Karamoko still has all the tricks and prowess he arrived at Celtic with, and if anything these skills have been honed and other parts of his game have been developed, his physical development is also clear to see as he has looked significant buffer and leaner in pics snapped in training. Ange Postecoglou may be the man to reignite the spark in Karamoko’s game and show the world what he can do.