Crystal Palace have come on a long way since Patrick Vieira’s first Premier League game as a manager at Stamford Bridge in August.
Patrick Viera said: “He’s a kid who spent pre-season with us and I was really pleased with what he’s been doing on the field. He’s a really lovely kid and when he came on at 3-0 I just wanted him to get on the ball. He’s a good dribbler, can score goals as well so I wanted him to be a bit higher on the field, but he spent most of the time behind the ball defending. He’s a young, talented player and we have to work with him to try to help him.”
Jake O’Brien (Swindon), Rob Street (Newport) and Luke Dreher (Bromley) were among those sent out down the football pyramid for minutes, though Rak-Sakyi was still at Crystal Palace by 11pm on deadline day.
Patrick Viera said: “He didn’t go on loan so he will be training with the first team until the end of the season. We believe that he is a talent but at the same time we need to help him develop that talent and that will take time. Training every day with the players that we have in our football club will improve him and this is important for him to spend time with the first team.”
Rak-Sakyi is still yet to get back on the pitch for Vieira since his debut against Chelsea, with his most recent activity on the pitch seeing him start and score for the Under-23s in a 4-1 win over Spurs at the start of the month. In keeping him at the club and not sending him on loan, Palace are hoping that the teenager’s development will continue at its best by working within a Premier League environment.
