The ‘scary’ rise of Archie Gray at Leeds – ‘that family have fantastic genes’ — inews 8/3/24
Down to earth, quick-thinking, and continuing a rich family tradition – Gray, 17, is making waves at Leeds, and turning heads elsewhere
By Ross Heppenstall
If the cat was not already out of the bag, it certainly was
after Leeds United’s FA Cup fifth-round tie at old adversaries Chelsea last
week.
Archie Gray, Leeds’s 17-year-old homegrown midfielder,
announced himself as a star in the making to a live television audience with a
mesmerising performance that belied his tender years.
Pitted against Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez in the
middle of the park, Gray outshone Chelsea’s £220m duo and was named man of the
match.
It said everything about his precocious talent.
Daniel Farke’s Championship side lost 3-2, yet much of the
focus centred on Gray, who is continuing a rich family tradition which saw his
father Andy, grandad Frank and great-uncle Eddie play for Leeds before him.
Handed his debut by Farke last August, the 6ft 2in teenager
has become an increasingly important figure as Leeds bid to clinch an immediate
return to the Premier League.
Ex-Whites and England defender Tony Dorigo, who helped the
club to the First Division title in 1992, summarises Leeds games for LUTV.
He tells i: “What we saw against Chelsea was all the
elements of Archie’s game coming together and, goodness me, what a player he
will be. Physically, he’s a great athlete but also technically outstanding.
“At one point he beat two Chelsea players on his own 18-yard
box before setting Leeds on the attack.
“That showed incredible composure and importantly, when he’s
tiring, he still makes the right decisions.
“He reads the game so well and his decision-making – knowing
what to do and when to do it – doesn’t normally happen for someone so young.
But he’s only going to get better and really he could be anything.”
Gray joined Leeds’ vaunted academy aged seven and, as a
15-year-old, he was named on the bench by Marcelo Bielsa for a Premier League
game against Arsenal in December 2021.
His bow came at home to Cardiff City in this season’s
Championship opener and he has already racked up 39 senior appearances.
The boyhood Leeds fan’s maturity is certainly evident on the
pitch – and off it too.
After Tuesday’s 1-0 over Stoke City at Elland Road, Gray
resembled a seasoned professional as he signed autographs, posed for pictures
and chatted to supporters.
Former Leeds academy and Under-23s boss Mark Jackson, now
managing Australia A-League champions Central Coast Mariners, nurtured Gray in
the Elland Road youth ranks.
“I knew Archie would make his debut and have an impact this
season, but he’s surpassed all expectations and gone to a completely different
level,” Jackson tells i.
“I speak to his dad Andy regularly and it’s scary how good
Archie has become.
“I remember when he was still in school and training with
the first team at Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa.
“The Gray family have fantastic genes and I played with his
dad at Leeds and he was always very fit, as was Eddie during his career.
“Archie has that same athleticism and the technical ability,
but he’s also so grounded. He’s grown up around football all his life and I
think that helps massively.
“His family are so down to earth so he will never get
carried away, but I didn’t expect anything different with Archie.”
Gray began the season in the centre of midfield but was
switched to right-back in October and has been a near constant there.
Dorigo adds: “The opposition have got the better of Archie
once or twice at full-back. But I guarantee you that, by the end of the game,
he’s got the better of them, so he learns and works things out whatever it is.
“I’m sure he will do the same against better opposition as
well – hopefully with Leeds in the Premier League next season.
“The difference between the very top players and the rest is
their mindset and decision-making. That’s Archie’s strength – he’s so strong
mentally – and I see him settling as a box-to-box midfielder.”
It is little wonder the homegrown product is attracting
admiring glances from the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.
Leeds boss Farke told i: “Archie has played so much this
season because he has deserved to.
“We work very hard with him on his development and he shows
lots of desire to improve each and every day. Although he’s only 17, he already
plays with a lot of maturity and professionalism.
“Physically, he’s flexible and adapts to different demands –
he’s one of the guys who brings the highest physical output on the pitch.
“He’s not the finished product, but he’s on a really good
way and a crucial player for me, so we’re really happy with his development.
Although he’s so young, he’s down to earth and such a humble guy. He’s a joy to
work with.”
Gray’s performance against Chelsea’s millionaires last week
was no surprise to Farke.
The German added: “For Archie’s development and confidence
it was important to prove to himself that he can produce an outstanding
performance even at that level against top-class players.
“I didn’t need be convinced because I was sure before the
game that he could deliver a top performance. But it was encouraging for
Archie.”
Gray is the eldest of four brothers and 15-year-old Harry –
a striker and like Archie an England youth international – is also tipped to
make the breakthrough into Leeds’ first team.
Great-uncle Eddie, a legendary figure at Elland Road, said:
“I’d love Archie and Harry to play for Leeds United together, like me and my
brother Frank did. That would be nice.”