Zaid Al-Hussaini: Crawley Town’s recent investment in youth provides John Yems with potential

The 20 year-old was a part of the youth setup at Derby County before playing men’s football in non-league, with spells at Gloucester and Potters Bar Town.

Crawley Town will be the winger’s first taste of men’s professional football, and he believes he is ready for the step up: “I reckon that I’ve prepared myself well for it, and the time is right so now it’s just time to get going and show what I can do.”

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A creative player who claims he can play mainly as a right-winger and also as a false-nine, Al-Hussaini is a promising prospect who has excited Yems, who signed him after Anton Robinson brought the winger to Yems’ attention.

When asked about his best attributes, Al-Hussaini outlined himself as a wide player with an eye for goal: “My best thing is beating a man, and scoring goals, goals, goals, that’s what I do”.

Al-Hussaini took the decision to drop into non-league for more first-team experience, having only made one appearance for the Rams’ youth side, in a goalless draw against Plymouth Argyle in the Premier League Cup.

The choice proved fruitful, as he was able to learn his trade playing first-team men’s football with Gloucester City at a very young age, which in turn has earned him his move to Reds.

Despite there not being a date set for the return of League Two football Al-Hussaini insists that he is fit and prepared for whenever football is back: “It’s been hard but I’ve just been keeping fit, cycling, running and whatnot, and just anything to get prepared”.

In an update on the Crawley Town YouTube channel earlier this week Erdem Konyar revealed the youth policy that the club is trying to build for the near future, claiming: “There will be around five players in our squad under 21 next season”, meaning summer recruit Al-Hussaini could be the perfect fit for Crawley, and if Yems faith in the youngster is repaid, Al-Hussaini could become a revelation for the Reds.

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