HE’S a gifted footballer with talent, a sweet left foot
who’s being chased by four top Premier League sides – and he’s only
five years old.
But then hotly-tipped Charlie Savage does get tips – not to
mention long, blonde locks – from his old man, former Wales star
Robbie.
Charlie is training with Manchester United but is also wanted by
super-rich Manchester City, and Merseyside duo Liverpool and
Everton.
Yet his dad admits he wouldn’t mind if son Charlie ended up
playing for WREXHAM.
The talented left-footer was spotted playing for his local team
by a scout from Manchester City and was offered a chance to train
with them.
A beaming Savage explained: “I went to watch him recently and a
guy stood next to me and said ‘that blonde boy’s a great player’
and he was talking about Charlie. It turned out to be a scout from
Manchester City.
“They invited us to go and watch City against Arsenal and when
we walked in one of the coaches asked me if this was the boy
everyone is talking about.”
Soon after, Robbie’s wife Sarah was approached by a scout from
United while watching Charlie play and then a Liverpool scout got
in touch.
“Next thing my agent was calling me to say Everton had called to
set up a trial with them,” said Robbie, who’s currently playing for
Championship side Derby County.
“He goes to United’s development centre every week now and he’s
absolutely loving it. They won’t decide if they want to put him
into the Academy until he’s seven or eight so we don’t want to
build his hopes up too much.
“Most boys his age just chase the ball around but he always
seems to find himself a bit of space and time on the ball.”
Savage, whose career started at Manchester United before playing
for Crewe Alexandra, Leicester City, Birmingham City and Blackburn
Rovers, insisted he never pushed his son into being a
footballer.
The 39-times capped former Wales international said: “I watch
games and see other parents screaming at their children but I’ve
always just stayed in the background and let him get on with
it.
“My wife was the first one to take him along to football so it’s
all down to her.”
“We’ve got two goals in the back garden and he wants to play
first to 20 nearly every night – and he’s starting to beat me,”
joked 34-year-old Savage.
“Charlie is obsessed with football. My mum says he is worse than
I was at his age. He knows every player in the Premiership and
constantly watches Sky Sports, after doing his homework of
course!”
Savage said he is proud Charlie has got the chances for himself
and not had any special treatment because his dad was a Premiership
player.
He added: “Obviously I would love to see him run out at Old
Trafford but if he ended up at Wrexham I would be happy. I keep out
of it because I don’t want to put any pressure on the lad, it’s
entirely up to him.
“To be honest I wouldn’t even mind if he wanted to be a builder
or a doctor, as long as he is healthy and happy.”
Dad Robbie said he will give his son plenty of advice about the
ups – and downs – of being a footballer.
The controversial character has never been far from the
headlines during his career so knows how to deal with life away
from the pitch.
He declared: “I’ve seen it all in my career, getting released
from a club like Manchester United and then working my way back
into the Premiership.
“I’ve won player of the year awards and been booed at every
ground I’ve visited! But Charlie takes it all in his stride because
being around football is so natural to him.
“When I take him up to Blackburn, Roque [Santa Cruz] and Benni
[McCarthy] absolutely love him and he has a good laugh with
them.
“The lifestyle of a footballer is superb so I would no
reservations about him becoming one.”