It has been a season of youth development and success stories at Manchester United and Harry Amass stands tall as one of the bright spots in a wretched season.
Harry Amass finally got his long-awaited breakthrough this season and lived up to expectations, impressing in difficult circumstances and holding his own in senior football.
He’s convinced Ruben Amorim of his abilities and Amass’ new Man Utd contract will be the final exclamation mark on his breakout season.
The full-back has now said that he owes a lot of his success to his mentor in the Man Utd dressing room who is ‘world-class’.
Harry Amass’ Man Utd mentor
Harry Amass has taken to senior professional football with remarkable ease and while that is hugely down to his hard work and talent, there are other factors at play.
For one, he’s come into a settled team that is finally getting comfortable with a new system and identity, so his role and responsibility are clear.
Perhaps most importantly, a group of leaders has emerged at the club which is helping youngsters get used to the senior team environment quickly.
Tyler Fredricson named Harry Maguire as his mentor and Harry Amass was asked the same question. He waxed lyrical about Luke Shaw.
Amass said: “I’d say Luke Shaw [is my mentor]. We just get on on a personal level. He’s in my position, he’s got a lot of experiences that can help me and he shares it with me. He’s a world-class LB and there are things you can take from him on and off the pitch so that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Harry Amass shows shades of Luke Shaw
Amass’ response is along the expected lines because youngsters naturally gravitate towards players who play the same position as them.
In Amass’ case, Shaw is the perfect mentor because his playing style is reminiscent of Shaw’s dynamism when he was breaking through at Southampton as a teenager.
Injuries have robbed Shaw of that explosiveness but the footballing intelligence never goes away, and he’d undoubtedly be passing on those tips to Amass.
Shaw is a great mentor for someone like Amass because he’s been there and done that, with his experience of returning from setbacks giving him an even more mature view.
With Diego Leon also arriving in the summer, Amass will be eager to stamp his own place in the first-team and working with Shaw is sure to give him a competitive advantage.
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