The Power That’s Inside

As I shamble into middle age, the reality of just how young footballers are is becoming more and more stark by the year. But based on this season, some of our lads are helping me feel relevant and youthful by being into ‘retro’ pop culture franchises, that I have at least a passing awareness of.

Gnonto, Rutter and Piroe have all variously demonstrated awareness of and fondness for Naruto, a manga (i.e., Japanese comic) and anime (i.e., Japanese cartoon) franchise that has been running in various forms since 1995. If you get a chance, watch Georgi try to explain ‘rasengan’ to a bemused Emma Jones and Luke Ayling, as Gnonto rofls along (rasengan is a special move involving a ball of energy that yer man Naruto uses when he’s fighting).

And then there was Firpo and his Pokémon socks, from a video game and anime franchise that has run and run since its inception in 1996. Seeing Junior’s pegs in Pokéball hosiery immediately begged the question: if Junior Firpo were a Pokémon, what kind of Pokémon would Junior Firpo be? So, on this flimsy pretence, and with no clear rubric, here is my breakdown of which Pokémon each of the starting eleven from our away win at Wednesday would be. Because I’m cool and young and hip and with it.

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