Super Eagles inspiration: English club unveils important plan to find next Ademola Lookman

Millwall’s academy coach Kevin Nugent has hailed the club’s recruitment of non-league talent as “so important,” emphasising their strategy to discover raw, unpolished prospects akin to Super Eagles and Atalanta star Ademola Lookman.

The Lions have successfully integrated several players from non-traditional pathways, mirroring Lookman’s rise from non-league to global recognition, according to a report by southwarknews..

Nugent highlighted players like Ra’ees Bangura-Williams, now a first-team regular after joining from Tooting & Mitcham, and under-21 prospects Rafiq Lamptey, Jaiden Celestine-Charles, and Jet Dyer, all of whom honed their skills below step two.

“The recruitment process is vital,” Nugent said, crediting emerging talent scout Lucas Millgate for tirelessly scouring videos and games to identify potential stars.

“They’re out there. You’ve only got to look at [Ademola] Lookman at Charlton. He got a chance and became world-class.”

Transitioning to a professional setup can be daunting, as Celestine-Charles noted, but Nugent prioritises preserving players’ “raw enthusiasm” over rigid coaching. “It’s nerve-wracking for them,” he said. “We don’t want to over-coach and lose that raw talent.”

Instead, Millwall encourages players to solve problems organically, fostering tactical intelligence and adaptability.

For instance, Lamptey and Celestine-Charles have shown versatility, with Lamptey playing multiple positions and Celestine-Charles excelling across the front line.

Nugent’s approach involves selective use of video analysis, showing snippets to prompt players to find solutions themselves rather than dictating instructions.

“We want players who don’t look to the bench but sort things out on the pitch,” he explained.

This philosophy, mirrored by the first team, has helped players like Bangura-Williams and Celestine-Charles improve significantly since joining last summer.

Millwall’s commitment to non-league recruitment continues, with Nugent optimistic about unearthing more talents.

“Bring them in, let’s have a look,” he said, confident the pipeline will yield the next Lookman, who has since gone on to become one of the best players in Serie A and also the current African Player of the Year..