There were a lot of happy young Watford players this week following a comfortable 3-0 win over Barnsley. Alexander Merkel scored his first goal for the club, Luke O’Nien made his first-team debut, and Alex Jakubiak revealed his delight at what he has described as an ‘ideal year’ so far. Bernard Mensah however suffered a potentially serious knee injury in Braintree Town’s 2-0 loss to Lincoln City on Tuesday night.
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On Saturday, Alexander Merkel came off the bench to score his first goal for the club – the final goal in Watford’s 3-0 win over beleaguered Barnsley. After the game, the German told watfordfc.com of his ‘delight’ at getting his first goal for the club.
Merkel said: ‘I`m happy for my first goal for Watford, and for the supporters. It was really nice to celebrate in front of the fans [in the Rookery Stand]. It means a lot to make them happy.”
The 22-year-old explained his view on the wider picture, noting that the squad understands home form must be replicated away if the team is to progress:
‘At home we are playing really well, but now we need to play like this away from home.
“For us, it shouldn`t matter whether we play home or away. We have to win both. So next Saturday, it`s important.
“We are a good team and we create chances. We`re confident, and we want to put in a good performance next week at Wigan.
“We`ll take the good from today, and try to build on what we have.”
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Another landmark was reached on Saturday when Luke O’Nien made his debut for the club, becoming the 54th Academy graduate to play first-team football.
O’Nien came on in the 88th minute, replacing Vital Watford’s man-of-the-match Daniel Pudil.
The Watford Observer reported on Wednesday that in his post-match interview O’Nien had been quick to praise the team rather than speak about his own reaction to what must have been an important moment for the 19-year old.
‘I am delighted. The team also got a deserved three points so I`m really pleased about that,’ O`Nien said.
‘It is fantastic to get on the pitch and I have a lot of people that I need to thank for helping make it happen – but I won`t because we will be here for hours.’
The 19-year-old added that ‘the most important aspect is that we got the three points. That is what I am most happy about.’
The hardworking youngster is well-respected by his fellow professionals, and Head Coach Beppe Sannino has always been keen to heap praise on O’Nien. Known as often being the first man on the training pitch in the morning and last off in the afternoon, it is clear Watford have a player committed to self-improvement.
This fantastic work-ethic was apparent when O’Nien spoke to watfordfc.com on Saturday.
“You`ve got to expect everything in the Championship, I`ve watched every single game this season so I`ve been visualising and preparing every way I can,” said O`Nien, who joined the Hornets` Academy as an Under-9.
“All I`m doing now is focusing on tomorrow`s training session and making myself a better player, so that I`m ready for the next game.
“There are many steps in the journey and this is another one, but I`m already looking forward to the next step now and I`ve got to work towards that.”
We here at Vital Watford hope that Luke O’Nien is one of the as yet unidentified ‘other players’ chief executive Scott Duxbury spoke of as being in contract discussions. O’Nien signed a one-year professional contract at the start of the 2013/14 season, and so is out of contract in the summer.
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Alex Jakubiak has recently spoken to watfordfc.com about how he has progressed this year. Now on loan at Braintree Town, he joins fellow Hornet Bernard Mensah at the Iron, who was hospitalised on Tuesday night following a ‘scandalous tackle’.
Jakubiak spoke to the Official Site on Tuesday about what he calls his ‘ideal year’.
“In terms of game time with the Under-18s it`s been good. I`ve started almost every game, and averaged a goal a game. I think now going out on loan to Braintree is the next step for me.
“It`s essential, it`s ideal for anyone of this age, especially if they`re looking to step up to first-team football potentially next season.
“Playing in front of more fans, against more physical opponents, is only going to help you.”
Meanwhile, Mensah was the victim of some very bad luck and what sounds like a horror challenge after an extremely promising start at Braintree.
The 19-year-old forward was taken off injured after a hefty tackle from Lincoln City’s Tom Miller.
Braintree Town boss Alan Devonshire chose to focus on the challenge on Mensah when speaking to the press after his side’s 2-0 defeat.
Speaking to BBC Essex, Devonshire said:
‘The football match doesn’t matter to me. We lost a game, that doesn’t matter to me.
‘That boy’s career is more important. A tackle like that is horrendous. There is no room for it in football.
‘And until referees start protecting people this will carry on, especially at this level.’
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