It’s been quite the year for Manchester City’s newest debutant – and it could have played out very differently.
From a fight for his place in the under-18s, to captaining the academy to a historic FA Youth Cup victory, Jahmai Simpson Pusey has played for the City first team at the Yankee Stadium, and has now made his full competitive debut in the Champions League. All in the space of a few months.
Lifting the Youth Cup as captain would normally be the pinnacle of any player’s academy career, especially as Simpson-Pusey didn’t know he’d lead the Youth Blues out until the day of the final. But for the local defender, memories of the Youth Cup barely elicit a smile.
“I’d say it’s my proudest moment but I’ve put that in the past and I feel like it’s time for me to push on and stride for better things,” he told MEN Sport, speaking before his first two senior appearances this week. Knowing what has happened to him since puts his comments into a different lens.
“Winning the Youth Cup, it’s a big achievement. But a few months down the line and being in and around the first team, I’d say that’s my next step.
“When you go over there and play with the first-team players… the Youth Cup doesn’t mean anything to them. You’re with treble-winners. You have to just prepare to train with them and be as good as you can.”
It would take even the most hardened senior player not to be delighted for City’s youngsters at their Youth Cup success, but Simpson-Pusey is perhaps wise to keep his feet on the ground. His ability to quickly move on – “I don’t like to celebrate stuff like that” – has paid off.
In the summer, he had the option to explore a loan move away. Plenty of youngsters have chanced their luck at a spell in a lower league or at a top division in Europe to get valuable experience. A Youth Cup winning captain schooled at the City Football Academy would be a smart signing for any ambitious club.
But Simpson-Pusey, who turned 19 this week, backed himself and knew there were opportunities waiting in the first team.
“Being in and around the first team just makes you want to be there 24/7. That’s definitely my next aim,” he said – remember this was before his competitive debut this week.
“I feel like because I’m training over there a lot and being around the best and having the best manager in the world coach you, this is the best thing to do: stay. Going out will give you experience, but not the experience you would get from staying here.”
Immediately, Simpson-Pusey got the call-up he had hoped for. With most of City’s stars away at the Euros, he was one of a number of academy players used by Guardiola in the USA over the summer. As Josko Gvardiol arrived later with the group, Simpson-Pusey started against Celtic in front of 30,000 at Chapel Hill, and then against AC Milan at the iconic Yankee Stadium in New York with 46,000 watching.
To go from playing infront of a handful of supporters each week, to a one-off 20,000 crowd in the Youth Cup final, and then to the supersized crowds in the States was something of a culture shock.
“There were more people at the open training sessions than we have at the games over there,” he noted. “It felt like we had to train as good as we can. All of the big names were there and they get their shine. But I still think the fans made us feel like we were somebodies.
“But we don’t really think of ourselves like that. It felt surreal. I just tried to take it on the chin.”
Starting the first two games was something of a baptism of fire, even in pre-season. Simpson-Pusey is proud of his performances, though, and earned praise from Guardiola. The pair didn’t share any one-to-one moments in training, but Simpson-Pusey ensured he still took in anything he could from the manager.
“When he speaks I just listen. There’s nothing else to do,” he says. “I just feel like I have to listen because he’s the best manager in the world. The way he does stuff, even if you don’t understand it, when he’s moving his hands around you just understand it automatically. It was great to be in and around.
“When he is going through stuff to do with my position I just listen because it’s all you can do as a young player. I just have to listen and take on board what he’s saying.”
Guardiola praised Simpson-Pusey twice again this week – calling him ‘exceptional’ in a difficult full debut at Sporting. He drew praise for his cameo at Tottenham, and it won’t escape the first team staff that all his senior experience has come in front of big crowds away from the safety of the Etihad.
Simpson-Pusey doesn’t do safety, though. He idolises Sergio Ramos and loves winning a tackle just as much as he focusses on transitioning into midfield. He is a typical City defender who loves to defend – and has shown plenty of encouragement to coaches at the club that he can forge a strong career in the game.
Whether that is at City is up to him, and perhaps any future injury crises like the one which has handed him his opportunities this week. He knows his bread and butter is still in the academy and this is still his first season as an under-21 player.
“The manager wants what he wants. I can’t argue with that,” he reflected between his tour experience and his recent debut. “I just have to wait and hopefully my time will come.”
That time is now – helping Guardiola’s depleted defence in their hour of need. After backing his own ability to get that first team break, don’t expect him to give it up easily. And also don’t expect him to waste too much celebrating his debut (his new teammates won’t spend time thinking about it, so neither will he).