Norwich City are witnessing the emergence of young forward Errol Mundle-Smith, who, at just 20 years old, is beginning to make his mark in the Championship under manager Philippe Clement. Following an impressive performance in the Canaries' recent 1-0 victory against Charlton, Mundle-Smith has earned a call-up to the England Under-20 squad for a friendly match in Italy this Friday.
With injuries sidelining key strikers Jovon Makama and Mo Toure, Clement has turned to Mundle-Smith to help share the attacking responsibilities alongside Mathias Kvistgaarden. While the young forward is still honing his finishing skills, his natural abilities are proving to be invaluable assets for the team.
“He's not yet a top striker who's in the box on every cross or very efficient in his finishing,” Clement noted. “That's not his quality yet, but it's normal. Also, he's been playing mostly as a winger in the academy, so he has this action, he has his speed, and he caused problems for the defences because of those attributes.” Read more about Mattsson's Strike Seals Victory as Canaries Down Charlton.
Clement highlighted Mundle-Smith’s physical attributes and his ability to stretch opposing defences. “The big point with Errol is he has good physicality, he has good verticality, he can run in behind, and he has the capacity to do it several times. That's also what we need for the moment, with a lot of good players around him who are good on the ball and in the box,” he added.
Moreover, Clement acknowledged the crucial role of senior players in aiding Mundle-Smith's transition to first-team football. “The players around him helped him in his positioning, in the timing of his runs,” he explained. “Like in Leicester, I saw a few times that Anis (Ben Slimane) was coaching Errol a lot about how to press together, so we worked on that, of course, but he's a young player in a new role, and maybe a lot of nerves also in that moment.”
Clement further commended the strong team spirit, noting how even younger players, such as Ben Slimane, have taken on mentorship roles. “So that's the good thing about this team, everybody's helping each other and the more experienced guys, although Anis himself is also only 24, but they're helping the young lads.”
Describing Mundle-Smith’s personality, Clement remarked, “Errol is somebody always with a smile. He's very humble, kind of timid within the team, which is not a bad way to come in as a young guy. For me, in the beginning, he was better in the training sessions than in the games. But he's taking these experiences, and he's becoming more and more free, more and more confident.”
As Norwich City navigate the current season, the development of Errol Mundle-Smith presents an exciting prospect for the club's future. With continued guidance and support, the young forward is on track to become a pivotal figure for the Canaries in the seasons ahead. Read more about McConville Targets World Cup Spot as Norwich Stars Shine.