Exclusive interview with former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders on his fellow Welshman Lewis Koumas and in-form Swedish striker Alexander Isak
Lewis Koumas (C) runs with the ball during the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Liverpool at the Vitality Stadium on September 20(Image: Glyn KIRK / AFP via Getty Images)
Lewis Koumas has been backed to forge a successful career at Liverpool – and outstrip the one his dad enjoyed. The 21-year-old has been the big breakthrough star of Andoni Iraola’s Reds reign so far.
Koumas has featured five times in seven games after being told by Iraola he would not be going out on loan again. The Wales international has previously spent time at Hull City, Birmingham City and Stoke City.
But he is now viewed at Anfield as a bonafide first-team squad member and Dean Saunders reckons his fellow Welshman can become a regular starter.
Saunders coached Koumas’ dad – former Tranmere Rovers, West Brom and Cardiff City star Jason – when he was assistant manager to John Toshack with Wales.
And he said: “I have followed Lewis Koumas’ career for a long time now as he’s Welsh, but I also coached his dad.
“He’s already played at a higher level than his dad, which shows what a brilliant player Lewis is. Lewis has an infectious enthusiasm when he plays football, and he’s a handful for defenders, he’s a proper hustle and bustle type player.”
Koumas started up front as Wales lost their Nations League opener 1-0 to Portugal in Lisbon on Thursday night. Despite missing a good chance to equalise the starlet produced another mature performance in his first competitive start for his country
Wales boss Craig Bellamy was impressed while full-back Neco Williams, who joined Nottingham Forest from Liverpool four years ago, also raved about Koumas.
Williams said: “His confidence is growing each game. The more games he plays, the older he gets, the more experience he gets, he’ll become better and better.
“What I see with him is he’s improving all the time. He’s a work horse, he doesn’t stop working, and they’re the type of players you want in your team.”
Lewis Koumas fights for the ball with Bruno Fernandes during the Nations League match between Portugal and Wales at Estadio Jose Alvalade(Image: Miguel Lemos/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Koumas is now likely to keep his place in the Wales team for today’s trip to Denmark. And Saunders, speaking to the ECHO via Betpack, added: “I think he needs to make his best position the place he can get a game in the Liverpool first team.
“Youngsters at top clubs don’t always get a lot of opportunity, so he has to have good games wherever he is picked in the starting XI or comes on.
“That’s the reality of being a young player at a club like Liverpool, but I think he’s got the ability to be successful.”
Koumas can play across the frontline but with Hugo Ekitike out injured long-term his best bet could be deputising for striker Alexander Isak.
Isak has hit form after a nightmare first season with the Reds after his British transfer record £125 move from Newcastle United. And Saunders, who broke the British transfer record for an English club when he signed for Liverpool from Derby County for £2.9m in July 1991, said: “When you are in this type of form that Isak is in at the moment, everything feels good.
“You feel like keepers will spill every shot into your path, and you find you get that little bit of luck in the box much more often. The pressure is off Isak’s back now, he’s proved to everyone at the club that he can still score goals the way they expect him to.
“He’ll feel as though he belongs now and has earned his position in the team and is slowly starting to justify the price tag. Now all he needs to do is continue his form and connect with the fans. That’s the most important part.
“Keep scoring and prove you belong at Liverpool. Then you can start justifying your price tag, and work on becoming a legendary striker for Liverpool like Ian Rush.”
Isak has scored four goals in his past four Premier League games and on Friday night set Sweden on their way to a 2-1 home win over Romania in the Nations League with an expert finish.