Modric or Iniesta – which nickname does new Dundee loanee Sammy Braybrooke prefer?
The 20-year-old has progressed through the Leicester City academy set-up with a burgeoning reputation.
He captained England at U/18 and U/19 level and is in the England U/20 squad next week but is yet to make his mark on the senior game.
And that’s what he is eager to do at Dundee.
“It is a fresh start for me and it is a challenge I am looking forward to being in a first-team environment,” Braybrooke said ahead of a potential Dundee debut today against St Mirren.
“I just want to show people what I can do.
“My agent has a good connection with the gaffer [Tony Docherty] and at the start of August he wanted to have a Zoom call, showing me the project, showing me what he thinks I would be doing if I came up here, where I would be playing.
“He filled me with confidence really and gave me the belief that I can come up here and do well.”
‘Blessing in disguise’
Braybrooke had other “tempting” offers as Leicester searched for the right place to see the midfielder gain precious first-team experience.
The England youth international’s development has been hindered in recent years by a lengthy cruciate knee ligament injury that ruled him out for 14 long months.
That happened in at the end of January 2023 and scuppered a loan move to Burton Albion that was supposed to go through the following day.
“Everyone says it is tough but until you actually go through it, you don’t realise just how tough it is,” he added.
“Mentally it is tough but physically it is even harder I would say as you have to build all your muscle back up.
“In some ways it was a blessing in disguise as I started to realise how much I actually do love playing football, how much I wanted to get back on the pitch and show everyone that I had come back better and stronger.”
Modric or Iniesta?
And what about those lofty nicknames? Does he prefer being compared to a World Cup winner or a Ballon d’Or winner?
“I will take either! They are both good so I can’t complain,” the youngster added.
“Maybe Modric, a Ballon d’Or winner.
“Even though people were joking, it is quite flattering.
“They must say it because they think a lot of you and they think you are good.
“So it was nice but I didn’t really think about it too much. I just kept level-headed and carried on playing.”
And, in his own words – what will he bring to Dundee this season?
“I think I will bring technical ability, someone who wants to get on the ball all the time, goals, assists, getting the team through the thirds, good to look at on the eye, then out of possession energetic and not afraid to make a tackle – everything!”
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