'Alfie made the decision to move to England himself'

Alfie Friars’ belief in himself was behind his decision to leave home and pursue a career with Derby County.

The 16-year-old signed has a contract with the League One side and has already started pre-season training as he dives right into a new chapter in his life.

Son of former Derry City defender Emmet, Friars has made a name for himself over recent years, making his mark at club level with Derry City and at international level with Northern Ireland U17s.

But it was contribution to County Londonderry’s historic victory in last year’s SuperCupNI which really got things moving for him, with scouts spotting real potential in the young centre-half.

From then on it has been a whirlwind for Friars, but he decided very quickly that life in England was one which he definitely wanted.

“Alfie made the decision quite quickly,” Dad Emmet explained. “Alfie was flying under the radar. He was playing at Derry in the under-17s and he went to the Super Cup with County Derry. By the end of that week, the phone had started to ring for him and he had an international call up.

“Derby were the first club on the phone looking for him on trial, along with a number of others. He just happened to go to the international training camp at Brighton, with Northern Ireland under-17s. He spent six or seven days there and he went straight to Derby on trial on the day that he finished up. After he came home, maybe ten or eleven days later and he said to me in the car. He said, “Daddy, that's what I want to do. I'm going to England.” I said, “Well if that's what you want to do, you do it.”

Emmet has described his son as ‘a community players’ given his experience with several different clubs in Derry over the years. Alfie has played with Culmore Youth, Derry Colts, Foyle Harps, Don Boscos, Derry City FC, County Londonderry Super Cup NI and Coleraine. The young defender has picked something up with each club to make him the player he is today.

“There's been so many people in this town that have had a massive part of his journey,” Emmet explained. “A small part that it would look like, but it's been a huge part in terms of the different stages of his development. He's played for a number of clubs, but circumstances have meant that he's had to move.

“He was Culmore Youth from when he was five or six years old. His Granda Gerry was one of the founder members of the youth club, but he had to move when because he didn't have enough players. So, there's been wee things along his journey that meant he's had to move. There was Covid in the middle of it but he's been really well looked after at all the clubs. From my point of view, it's testament to the great coaches that we have in this town.”

Huge decision

For years, there has been a debate over players moving to England at such young ages, with some advocating that idea, while others believe building a senior career at home offers a solid base before trying a career across the water. For parents especially, there is difficulty in their child moving away from home to a new life completely, but Emmet believes his son has made the right decision.

“Both sides of that debate are very much right,” he said. “I think it depends on the circumstances. It depends on each individual player.

“He made the decision himself. There's an age-old debate on it. I don't think it matters. I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to it. From Alfie's point of view, it's the right call for him, based on the fact that Alfie's a right-sided centre-half and they're a dime a dozen. You'll meet ten if you walk anywhere in any town.

“I think that the best place for him, for his development is on the ground over there. Staying here and playing senior games is without doubt a fantastic way to go, but you need everything on your side. You need your luck and these opportunities don't come along very often.”

Playing for a club such as Derby County automatically opens up doors not available back home, and Emmet believes that the development of young players, both on and off the pitch, is now a priority for the top clubs.  

“I just think it depends on each individual player and I think from Alfie's point of view, this is the right thing,” he continued. “These clubs now in England, they have their own models, around how to get players experience, around loan moves. Loan moves back in the day used to be seen as players being shipped out. They're not seen as that now. The structures have changed.

“If you look at some of the best players in England at the minute. Pickford played 120 games on loan. Kane played probably 100 games on loan. They have their own ways of getting these lads through. But at the end of the day, you need a bit of luck. You need to be in the right place at the right time.

“From Alfie's point of view. Alfie wanted to go. That was the decision made. If he got the right opportunity in the right club, he was going and we support him in that.”

New journey

The new journey begins now for Alfie, and he takes this new direction knowing he has the full support of his family and friends back home. Having come through so much in his career already, his dad is in no doubt that he will be a success at Derby.

“He's very mature,” he insisted. “Anyone that knows him will tell you that. He's a mature 16-year-old. He's quiet. He's level headed. He's very focused. He made the decision. He was on trial at Celtic and Ipswich as well and every time he went, he loved that full time environment. That's the reason you go on trial. Do you like being away from home? Can you handle being on digs? Do you like the full-time training? Is it too hard for you? How do you cope with better players than yourself?

“Every minute he spent there seemed to push him along a bit more and every time he came home from one opportunity, his work rate went up another year. He's driven this himself. It wasn't me or his mum. He's pushed this at every opportunity.”

“It's something that he's had to work incredibly hard to get to. He's had a lot of setbacks, but he's kept his head down and kept working hard.”

“That's one of his best traits, his mentality. He doesn't get too high; he doesn't get too low. He takes everything in his stride, and he's very focused and determined. But he's been well looked after and well coached, from when he was five or six years old in this town by the local clubs and it's stood him in good stead as he got older.”