Ross Barkley is the new Michael Ballack, claims Everton manager Roberto Martínez Everton manager Roberto Martínez says there is “a touch of Michael Ballack” about England call-up Ross Barkley, whose elevation to the senior international ranks has long been expected, even if the timing is surprising.
Potential: Ross Barkley's promotion to the senior England squad has been praised by Everton manager Roberto Martínez
Barkley was seen as a certainty for full honours as a schoolboy, his progress curtailed for both club and country solely due to injury.
It is little wonder that Roy Hodgson has felt the urge to promote the 19-year-old after two impressive Premier League games, as he has spoken at length to Martínez about his recent development.
Everton’s Spanish coach can only offer the most lavish reports after his brief spell working with the youngster.
“I look at Ross and you tell me what weakness he has? He hasn’t got one,” Martínez said.
“Ross is as good with his left foot as he is with his right. He takes in information, which for a young lad is incredible.
"He can use both feet, he can switch the play, he has a range of passing and can receive the ball in any area, he has a great shot and has incredible energy.
“He reminds me of Michael Ballack. When Ballack was younger, nobody knew what his best position was, could he be a sitting midfielder, an attacking midfielder or play up front? Ross is that impressive.”
Everton will be cautious about the swiftness of Barkley’s international promotion, which may be in part to offer him a taste of the senior set-up before an initial return to the Under-21s.
There is no doubt, however, at his current rate of improvement that the World Cup is a possibility and Hodgson doubtless wants to utilise him before it is too late in the bid for Brazil qualification.
Barkley’s progress would have been swifter but for serious injury, a broken leg following his first appearance on the Everton substitutes' bench as a 16-year-old.
Although that was a huge setback at the time, Martínez feels that it may have inadvertently helped as he is now a rarity in the modern game – a genuinely two-footed midfielder.
“When he broke his leg, it took him three months to get back to his normal self and he started using his left foot,” Martínez said.
“Now you won’t see a difference between which foot he strikes the ball with. Roy [Hodgson] and I have spoken a few times, but England know him well.
"They have always had huge, high hopes for him when he was at the under-19s. When England got to the final [of the Uefa under-17 competition] and won the tournament, Ross was the main player. But then he broke his leg.
“He’s started our last three games. Against Betis he gave the ball away twice in a dangerous area. Against Norwich once. And against West Brom, he didn’t.
"It’s incredible how he takes things in and can develop, but he’s not the finished article.”
Source: Telegraph
