Robbie Savage reacts to Harry Whitwell display as West Brom loanee makes Forest Green Rovers debut
West Brom youngster Harry Whitwell caught the eye in his Forest Green Rovers debut on Wednesday night.
The attacking midfielder is tipped to have a big future ahead of him at The Hawthorns, having notched eight goals and three assists from just 17 games in Premier League 2 last season.
West Brom recently decided to loan Whitwell out to National League side Forest Green Rovers, where he is expected to take his first steps in the senior game after making his Championship debut with a brief cameo in May.
The 19-year-old is a long way from Ryan Mason’s first-team reckoning at the moment, but the new boss will have been delighted with the impact that the starlet made in his debut for his loan club.
Robbie Savage labels Harry Whitwell ‘outstanding’ after debut goal
West Brom had received interest in Whitwell from Walsall earlier in the summer, but the early signs suggest that the National League could be the perfect environment for the youngster to perform at the moment.
He came off the bench to make his debut for Forest Green on Wednesday night, and notched his first professional goal as the Gloucestershire outfit cruised to a commanding 4-0 win over Sutton United.
- Whitwell notched 11 goal contributions in 17 games in Premier League 2 last season
- He made his Championship debut in the 5-3 win over Luton in May
- Whitwell scored his first professional goal just 10 minutes into his Forest Green debut
It took the youngster just 10 minutes to find the back of the net after being introduced by Rovers boss Robbie Savage, and he doesn’t appear to have done his chances of earning a regular place in the side any harm at all.
Savage was full of praise for Whitwell during his post-match interview, and he showed all the signs of a manager who knows that he’s potentially got a special talent on his hands for the foreseeable future.
“Whitwell can play as a six, an eight or a ten,” Savage said.
“As a 10 he was outstanding, and he got the goal, then dropped back into a six.
“The beauty of this squad is the rotations and the way they can play, they can change systems.”
West Brom see Harry Whitwell loan decision vindicated
Whitwell will have provided West Brom with huge encouragement after the promising start that he has made, and there will now be hope that he can go on and become a key player for Forest Green.
Eyebrows were raised when it was confirmed that his first loan spell would come outside the Football League, but it has already become clear that he will be part of a very strong unit as part of Savage’s squad.
Forest Green are unbeaten in their three league outings so far, and are currently sat third in the National League.
A League Two move may have been preferable on paper, but being in a positive and successful environment can make all the difference for the development of a young player like Whitwell.
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