Jose Gomes Reveals Tough Love For Michael Olise On Star’s First Day Training With Reading First-Team

Jose Gomes knew instantly that Michael Olise was a special player - and fought hard to get him into the Reading first-team at the age of just 17.

After a long discussion with the Royals academy over how best to promote the midfield starlet, the Portuguese boss brought Olise into the seniors and proceeded to give him one hell of a rough ride on his first day.

In an exclusive interview with The Tilehurst End Podcast, Gomes detailed the youngster’s rise and why he believes he will be a huge success in the Premier League.

He said: “When he arrived for his first training session, the players would just touch him and he was always on the ground and complaining.

“And each time that he complained I said to his team-mates to kick him more and make his situation even tougher.

“But I gave him my hand and I helped him a lot. I think he had the same opinion because players don’t always understand, but I think he understood.

“I always helped him and pushed him, sometimes I was very tough in how I spoke with him, because I felt he was a special player. Because he’s very fast, technically he’s incredible.

“He can do things, magic things, at a very high speed that most other players cannot do. he’s special.”

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