Chelsea's Ruben Loftus-Cheek: Don't Get Too Comfortable

Engulfed in the eye of the storm, Chelsea's English central midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, 19, has an avenue to answer to his critic.

The critic isn't a pundit wearing Liverpool-tinted glasses, a jeering fan or an insignificant football writer.

The critic is Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who is challenging Loftus-Cheek.

Slated by Mourinho, Loftus-Cheek needs to approach the UEFA European Under-21 Championship with gusto.

Prove Your Greatness

England Under-21 manager Gareth Southgate acknowledged Loftus-Cheek's complacency, but opted against mirroring Mourinho's harsh public rebuke.

"If [Mourinho] didn't care about [Ruben], he wouldn't make those kind of comments," Southgate said, per Henry Winter at the Telegraph. "Ruben's made sure that with us he's on time for everything ... he's obviously had a little dip and been reminded that there's no room for dips." 

It's mild criticism from Southgate, who has handed Loftus-Cheek, the youngest player in the England Under-21 squad, a platform to prove Mourinho wrong.

"One of the reasons I'm here is because I've done well, so if I can do what I've been doing for [Chelsea] and just be confident then I think I can do well," Loftus-Cheek said, per Nicholas Veevers at the FA's website. "I don't think I've made it yet."

Prior to being verbally savaged by Mourinho, Loftus-Cheek already experienced what it was like to be a talking point.

Projected as a once-in-a-generation talent, Loftus-Cheek's signature was being frantically contested by the Stellar Group and the Alive and Kicking Sports Media Group, per Simon Mullock at the Daily Mirror.

It granted Loftus-Cheek more leverage relative to the ordinary schoolboy being courted by a top Premier League club.

Transfer links to Barcelona, Manchester City and Manchester United drove up Loftus-Cheek's stock, per the Daily Mirror (h/t the Daily Mail).

Former Blackpool manager Ian Holloway was bewildered by Loftus-Cheek's rumoured personal wealth.

"When I picked up my Sunday Mirror last week and read that Chelsea had lavished a deal worth €2 million/£1.7 million on [Loftus-Cheek] it made me sick to my ­stomach," Holloway said, per the Daily Mirror. "What kind of game has football become if clubs are prepared to pay the kind of riches the man in the street can only dream of based on potential, ­rather than achievement?"

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager David Pleat lamented the disproportionate power teenage football prodigies wielded.

"The ­scramble for the best schoolboys, fuelled by agents, leads to wholly inflated earning figures," Pleat said, per Anthony Clavane at the Daily Mirror. "Nowadays a kid won't sign on as an apprentice for a club until he is ­guaranteed 'x' amount of money."

Instead of falling by the wayside, a la John Bostock, Loftus-Cheek is still receiving acclaim.

Inside Chelsea's defensive half and in possession, Loftus-Cheek looked up. Four seconds later, he glided into West Bromwich Albion territory and passed the ball to Eden Hazard.

That sequence of play in Chelsea's 3-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion was so easy for Loftus-Cheek.

The 134 minutes over three Premier League games he played this past season is an entree to possible stardom at Stamford Bridge.

Loftus-Cheek's UEFA Youth League scouting report is filled with adulation, per Wyscout:

"

[Loftus-Cheek] stood out as a confident player with really impressive physical strength/power/natural fitness/stamina.

[He possesses] great technique on the ball (lovely ball control), passing ability and powerful/energetic forward runs (he's almost unstoppable). 

... [he was] concentrated and determined at most part of the times during the competition with good rate of individual and collective work. 

... revealed himself as one of the [UEFA Youth League's] Most Valuable Players ... Loftus-Cheek has huge technical potential to be worked on and explored in the next few [years].

"

Watching Loftus-Cheek, a 6'3" and 183 lb central midfielder, evade tackles and carry the ball like a No. 10 is exhilarating.

The hype is validated at youth level.

"I think Ruben next season will compete directly for a position," Mourinho said, per Chelsea's website. "Now is not the moment, it is the moment for his evolution, the moment to protect him."

Developing trust by building up Loftus-Cheek's self-worth, the rug was violently jerked from underneath him following Chelsea's 1-0 win over Sydney FC.

Dispelling the notion of Loftus-Cheek being a can't-miss wonderkid, Mourinho wants to quell the sky-high expectations.

Mourinho discredited Loftus-Cheek's performances in age-restricted competitions, told him to simplify his playing style and quit being lazy, per the Press Association (h/t ESPN FC):

"

[Loftus-Cheek] has to learn that at 19 [years of age] you have to run three times more than the others. You have to play to your limits and not play like a superstar with the ball at your feet because this is not under-18s. The under-18 competition is too easy for him. He's too good to play in the under-18s.

When we don't have the ball [Loftus-Cheek] doesn't press, doesn't have intensity and he's waiting for everybody else to recover the ball. I don't accept that in the superstars so how can I accept that in a kid? He has to learn what it takes to play for us.

"

Translation: You're not great yet. Don't get too comfortable.

Mind Games

"The guy that kicked Hazard three times in 10 minutes impressed me," Mourinho said, per Carly Adno at the Daily Telegraph. "I like it. No friendlies."

Who was the guy? Sydney FC's 21-year-old Australian central midfielder Terry Antonis.

In 2004, Peter Antonis beamed with pride as his then-10-year-old son won a global talent search to take part in a skills DVD with David Beckham.

"My dream would be for Terry to play for a team that represents all of Sydney in front of 30,000 [plus] crowds," Peter said, per Matthew Hall at the Sun-Herald. "I'd love my son to be able to entertain people and there would be nothing better than for him to do that at home."

Eleven years and a failed transfer to Parma later, Antonis went above and beyond his father's wish.

Displaying Matthew Dellavedova-like grit amidst 83,598 people at ANZ Stadium, Antonis earned the respect of Mourinho. 

Loftus-Cheek lost Mourinho's respect.

Ambling around, Loftus-Cheek presumably wanted to avoid suffering a long-term injury during an insignificant post-season friendly.

"Ruben said he had a pain in his back but what I was feeling was that he only had the pain when Sydney had the ball," Mourinho said, per David Weiner at FOX Sports. "With Ruben, it's one step back in terms of my relationship with him."

Why didn't Mourinho just warn Loftus-Cheek in private?

Surrounded by quote-hungry journalists, Mourinho exemplified Ari Gold's rule No. 18: "Never let 'em forget you're the baddest [expletive] in the room."

Chill, I got this is an approach Loftus-Cheek will never use again if he wants to be a special one having endured an ego-obliterating tongue-lashing from Mourinho.

It's Mourinho reminding Loftus-Cheek of the gold standard required at Chelsea.

The next time Loftus-Cheek contemplates taking a play off, he will likely think back to the day he was outworked by the guy that kicked Hazard three times in 10 minutes.

This is why Mourinho was right to call Loftus-Cheek out. 

Mourinho won't be the only critic Loftus-Cheek will hear from if he fails to make a positive impression at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship. 

Inevitably, Loftus-Cheek will have to save face by dominating for the England Under-21s, which could kick-start a career-defining campaign for Chelsea next season.

+allanjiang.

When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.