This Leicester Life: In Bolivia, a believer in Leicester’s young stars
In the first of a new series where we meet Leicester City fans with interesting stories to tell, we speak to Joaquin Alvarez in Bolivia about why he started following the Foxes and his belief in Leicester’s talent pipeline.
Hi Joaquin - First of all, tell us a bit about yourself and your passion for Leicester City...
I'm 18 years old and I live in Bolivia. I also have a big group of my family in Argentina. I first learned about football academies when I used to go to see the Under-21 team at Boca Juniors. I started to have a passion to learn about the youth players because I think it's always better to have players who grow through the academy.
When I was 10 years old, I started to know about Leicester when they signed Esteban Cambiasso. That was a big surprise for me because I knew about Cambiasso through the Argentinian national team. Then I read an interview with Leonardo Ulloa in an Argentinian sports magazine called El Grafico and I found out even more about Leicester.
I fell in love with Leicester when they won the league. I will never forget about that team and all the memories from that season. I think the first time I screamed was when Leonardo Ulloa scored against Norwich. I felt that was the first time we could win the league. My parents didn't know what was happening. I was screaming like I was crazy. It was really emotional and my favourite moment from that season.
I am a very passionate fan so I have fallen in love with not just the club but the community. All the people in Leicester have been great with me, I have a lot of friends in Leicester and it's incredible to talk about my experience for a Leicester community. I've never been to Leicester but in the future I really want to go there.
What do your family and friends think about your love for Leicester City?
My father watches the games with me and he understands my passion for Leicester. My mother doesn't understand as much why I spend so much time on it but she's happy when I'm happy and I'm happy when Leicester win.
My friends don't understand how I could support a team that is marketed less than other teams. The big majority of my friends support Barcelona and Real Madrid. They used to joke about our relegation and when we didn't make the Champions League but I don't care because I know it's something special for me and I don't give anything else importance. I really enjoy watching Leicester and being in contact with the fanbase. It's always been a pleasure, with the good things and the bad things. If other people share my passion, it's good. If not, that's fine.
What makes you so interested in Leicester City's academy?
In my time supporting Leicester, we've had interesting players who have come through the academy, like Ben Chilwell, Harvey Barnes and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. They gave me an interest to know more and I'm convinced we have a lot of talent that we should use because there are a lot of guys who have potential to play at a high level.
I try to know all about the Academy and I love to learn about it. I like to know who are the most talented, who are the most passionate and plays most for the shirt. They are the only players who really feel like Leicester is home and we should give them opportunities. I have been watching Under-21 games and Under-18 games. I've been in touch with players in those teams and they have replied to my messages. That only makes me want to work harder and have more interest in the academy.
My objective is to work in football, as a scout or in directing a club. I would love to work for Leicester but if not, I could work in South America. It's my dream to work in a football environment.
Enzo Maresca has given minutes so far to Jakub Stolarczyk, Kasey McAteer and Wanya Marcal-Madivadua. What have been your first impressions of those players at first-team level?
I think this is a great opportunity to give to our young players. In the Premier League it was more difficult so this is the moment to do it. Stolarczyk had a good game against Huddersfield but I think he should go out on loan because he has only played in League Two. Being the second option in a Championship team, he won't get enough minutes for his development.
McAteer is a big talent who has been with the club from such a young age. I really hope he has a successful season. I think he could be the second option and fight for a place in the starting lineup on the left with Stephy Mavididi.
I'm not convinced Wanya Marcal-Madivadua's best position is as a winger. In his time in the academy, he played as a central midfielder and I think he could be a regular starter there. We are using him incorrectly because he has more to show than speed. In the defensive phase he can offer more, so I don't see him as a winger.
Will Alves is one of the biggest talents in the academy at the moment - what are your thoughts on him?
All the fans getting excited about Will Alves have a good reason for that. He's a special talent. He was playing with the Under 23s when he was 15 years old, which was incredible. And he was not just playing - he was making the difference in the team. I remember one game in the FA Youth Cup against Bournemouth. He scored twice and he was doing things that made you think he can't be so much younger than the other players.
I really felt for him when he got injured. It's the worst thing that could have happened because Brendan Rodgers was about to use him as a serious option in the first team and he could have been the answer for the biggest problem we had on the right wing. He will return stronger and he has the potential to be one of our best players. With luck, maybe a loan, we could see him shining in the Premier League.
Which other current academy players would you pick out?
My favourite player on the verge of the first team is Sammy Braybrooke. Before his injury, I saw him as ready for the first team.
After Braybrooke and Alves, Ben Nelson is the third player I'd choose. He could be an option at centre-back but he should go on loan first to a team in League One and then the Championship. He has the potential to play at a really high level - Manchester City and Newcastle are interested in him because he's exceptional.
I'd also pick out Oliver Ewing, who is currently injured, Amani Richards, who could be an option on the right wing, and Zach Booth, an American who was an attacking midfielder but has started this season as a striker. Joe Wormleighton is another of my favourites - if Timothy Castagne goes, he could get a chance to be in the first-team squad as a right-back.
We have recently lost one of our biggest talents, Trey Nyoni, to Liverpool. He was one of the players we could have expected to reach the first team without a long time in the Under 21s, so that hurt me a lot.
How are you able to know so much about these players all the way from Bolivia?
It's getting more difficult. The club have stopped transmission of the Academy games and they aren't using Leicester TV so it's more difficult to follow the young players. Last season I had to start watching channels of the opposition teams, like Brighton and Everton, to watch our games. The club should give more importance to the Academy in every sense.
The first game of the Under 21 season wasn't on Leicester TV. I had to follow it using a Derby County fanpage. The transmission wasn't good and you couldn't see much because it was just a fan with a mobile phone. It was really difficult to watch but I'm doing everything possible to watch the team.
Follow Joaquin at @Joaco_lestah.
