There are few things in life more challenging, or intimidating, than being the son of a famous father, especially if you choose to go into the same profession he did.
That has wrecked more careers and sent more people to psychiatrists and detox than you might believe. Some people just cast so a large shadow that it becomes impossible to escape it.
Henrik Larsson had as much mental fortitude as any player I’ve ever seen in the Hoops. He recovered from his leg break in Lyon, an injury which horrified football, not only to rise again but to return an even better player than he was before. That takes toughness, and it’s not for nothing that he’s considered a Celtic icon and went on to Barcelona and Man Utd.
Jordon Larsson didn’t make the choice to go into football in the way, for example, that Frank Sinatra Junior decided to follow his own father, but the kid will already be aware that there’s a lot of pressure on him. Henrik could have taken some of that pressure off him, but instead he’s piled it on today by saying that Jordon could wind up a better player than him.
Now, that’s a big statement.
Would Larsson have said that if he didn’t genuinely believe it? There’s no way he would have. Nor would he have put such a spotlight on the kid if he didn’t also think Jordan has the mental toughness to handle the comparison, and in the short term that might be even more important than having the skill.
His son must be a special talent, and some of the videos we’ve seen of him appear to bear it out. Jordan looks like a real player and if he’s going to be as good as his father then it stands to reason that we should be in there, trying to sign him.
There’s always been a certain inevitability to The King of Kings returning to Celtic Park. There are some who’ve long believed he’ll one day sit in the manager’s office. If our scouts haven’t watched this kid properly we should, because we ought not to leave anything to chance. He hasn’t yet hit the scoring heights for his club but his father believes he can.
As Henrik has already pointed out, his son is playing at a higher level than he was at the same age. He’s got goals for the Swedish Under 21’s. He’s not hitting the back of the net with Henrik’s regularity, but that may well come, and we should be watching.
Henrik’s view is something most of us take seriously. If the young man with the famous second name really is going to be a football legend, we ought to make sure it’s at Celtic Park.
In Brendan We Trust.