Watford youngster Yaser Asprilla has been warned he needs to learn football is a team game if he is to succeed moving forwards.
18-year-old Asprilla is one of the hottest rated prospects in Colombia, having impressed in his rise through the ranks at Envigado.
It is why Watford moved quickly to sign him in January, securing a £2.7m deal for the 18-year-old at the beginning of the winter transfer window.
That deal saw him sent back to the Colombian side for the rest of the season so he can continue playing regularly and aiding his development.
That’s something he’s doing, although things are not exactly going to plan, with him picking up his second appearance in a 2-1 defeat to Nacional on Tuesday.
That was his second appearance of the season but not one that will live long in the memory, with the midfielder playing 90 minutes but performing far from his best, according to AS.
They report he ‘did not perform well’ and ‘always sought individuality’ rather than performing with his teammates, something his current coach has now publicly criticised the Watford man for.
“The best way to support Yasser is for him to understand that there are ten around him,” Envigado coach Alberto Suárez said at a press conference.
“Sometimes he thinks that it’s him and the other ten don’t exist. I can put Maradona, Pelé and Messi next to him, and if he doesn’t share it, he’s going to get into trouble.
“So the best way is for him to see himself, show him the videos and make him understand that football is collective, that he can’t try to get rid of the opposition’s ten and then shoot at goal.
“It’s a public message that I’m sending him, I hope he understands it because it’s with affection, with love, but the support comes from him.
“The team was different without Yaser, and it should be better with Yaser; Yaser being a great player because he showed it, but he has to be more collective, and that is part of the learning process.”
