The last few weeks has seen Ianis Hagi play a peripheral role in Steven Gerrard’s starting XI, however, he remains a key part of the match day squad and a player that will no doubt make a contribution over the rest of the season.
For some reason though, there has been a spate of interviews/social media posts by coaches and former players in Romania who seem hell bent on writing off the 22-year old before his career has even really started – the latest being former Romania cap Marcel Puscas, as reported by The Daily Record.
“Ianis a talented kid born, formed, to be the number 10.
“He was raised, despite certain qualities, in the subjective test tube of his own parents.
“It is the fate of many young Romanians. Parents want to find themselves in the child’s talent.
“In the case of Ianis, Gheorghe saw him as a born number 10. It’s just in his dad’s movie. He formed and raised him in this spirit of Hagi, he failed, and he will fail again.
“Ianis will not be able to play anywhere else. Neither in FCSB, Craiova or CFR Cluj. Maybe only on his father’s team, where he only plays and he needs 10 more colleagues.
“Ianis needs a father’s club, a club just for him. Nothing more. Sorry, Gica, that’s the reality. Wake up!”
Brazilian legend Rivaldo only last week was encouraging Hagi to look for another club and you can see already why the youngster has played for more clubs than years he has been a senior professional.
Has Hagi been a "failure"?
Yes
No
Hagi will come good, with eight assists and two goals in 21 games he has played his part in our start to the season but has to be given time, he hadn’t played a lot of football before he came to us and we are – in essence – the first club he has had any real stability at, he needs to be supported and encouraged not battered from pillar to post, thankfully, in Steven Gerrard he has a manager who knows what he is capable of.