Young Lion of the Weekend – Tom Huddlestone - Derby County

Saturday’s win kept the East Midlands side very much in the hunt for First Division survival against Ronnie Moore’s Rotherham side, and further established Huddlestone’s growing reputation.

He has been with the Derby County Academy since the age of 12, and by the time he was 15, was a regular England Youth international. He has a commanding physique, standing at 6ft 2 ins, and already has a wealth of experience under his belt.

The 17-year-old has been a mainstay of County’s midfield during a difficult season for the Rams, in which George Burley has utilised a growing number of the club's promising England youth internationals. This season he has already made 31 League starts.

The FA’s Acting Technical Director Les Reed is a keen admirer of the combative midfielder, and told TheFA.com:

"Tom showed very early in his career that he has the technical ability needed to become a senior England international.

"Already he has played for England Under-17s in a European Championship semi-final [which they were very unlucky to lose on penalties] and he will have banked that experience, and the different demands that were made of him.

"He has proved that he can cope with the rigours of international football, and his physical development has enabled him to maintain a place in Derby’s first-team squad, and be able to stand up to the difficulties of a relegation battle, in a very tough League."

Whilst many young international prospects are cosseted at their clubs, Huddlestone has been very much ‘thrown in at the deep end’. Does Reed think that playing so many games at an early age is an advantage or not?

"The trick for Tom will be to maintain his focus as the games are coming thick and fast, but what this has taught him is to adopt ‘coping strategies’.

"Players like Zidane and Beckham have to play domestic football, Champions League football and then perform on an international stage, which requires players to prepare themselves physically and mentally between games if they are to maintain the highest standards of play.

"Tom will be adopting his own strategies to ensure that he keeps fresh, but this experience will again stand him in good stead as his career develops.

"He has shown he has the ability and the technique to play at the highest level, and if you are going to win medals in your career, you also need to ensure to be able to cope with the physical demands of the game.

"Tom displays a lot of maturity for such a young man, but he also still has a lot to learn. Like many young players, the other trick is to remember that your career is only just starting. If he keeps on learning, and adding to his experience both at club and international level, then Tom has a very bright, exciting career ahead of him."