Young Watford defender enjoyed season of leading and learning

His calm, assured confidence and mature approach to both football and life bely his young age, yet also explain why he’s captained Watford’s Under-21s and Under-18s, as well as the Welsh Under-19 team.

Having been capped by Wales at Under-15, Under-16, Under-17 and Under-18 level, in March Abbott was called into his national Under-19 squad for the first time, playing in two friendlies against Scotland.

“That Under-19 squad was a mixture of players from 2005 and 2004, and obviously I’m a 2005 which meant it was a really good challenge,” he said.

“I feel that playing Under-21s this season has helped me adapt to playing against opponents a year older than me, and often more than that.

“I thought I coped quite well and I played really well.”

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Wales won the first game 2-1, with Abbott coming on for the last 25 minutes, and then he wore the captain’s armband and played the full 90 of a 2-2 draw in the second match.

“That was a really proud moment for me, to captain my country. I was really grateful for that opportunity,” said Abbott, who qualifies for Wales through his paternal granddad being Welsh.

Being skipper of a team where most of the rest of the players are a year older is quite something, but Abbott is well accustomed to leading and taking on more experienced opponents through his exploits for the Under-21s at Vicarage Road.

“I think you definitely notice a difference against older players,” he said.

“There’s the physicality of course, but for me it’s more the intelligence that you notice. If they’ve been playing the game two or three years more than you, then they are that bit smarter and are clever with their runs and how they hold the ball up.

“The challenge is more on the mental side, trying to read what an opponent who is older than you is going to do.”

Being a regular part of the Under-21 squad has meant Abbott has often lined up this season with teammates from the first-team squad.

“As a young centre-half, it really helps when you’re playing in a team with experienced pros. When you have them around you it makes you more confident to take on opponents who are older than you.

“I played two games at centre-half with Francisco Sierralta recently, and he’s a Chile international. I got so much out of that.

“The language barrier isn’t a problem as there are words and phrases we both use like ‘man on’ and ‘step up’. He’s such a big presence and he brings that fear factor to opposition forwards.”

It was interesting to watch the tall Sierralta paired with Abbott who, while not being small, is on the shorter end of the central defender scale.

“I’d say that 100% I see myself more as a ball-playing centre half. I look at the Premier League and you’ve got players like Lisandro Martinez at Manchester United, who is probably even smaller than me, and Thiago Silva at Chelsea. They are both unbelievable on the ball, so calm and composed.

“I feel that if there’s that balance, and I’m playing with someone who has the physical presence like Francisco who can win the aerial duels, then I can still play my football.

“I do feel comfortable on the ball. I’ve seen a lot of centre halves that are taller than me but they don’t have the power anyway and get moved off the ball.

“I feel that if you are smart and can time your headers, then height doesn’t matter and you can still win anything in the air.”

Abbott leading the Under-21s before their 7-0 win over Peterborough (Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC)

The first half of the season for the Under-21s was tough, as a squad of players that were largely Under-18s was facing teams full of opponents who were older and, in some cases, had first-team experience.

Omer Riza and his squad knew it was set to be a difficult first few months, and they suffered some heavy losses - as the coach explained when he spoke to The Watford Observer recently.

“It was really tough and we had a young squad, although I don’t think we can use that as an excuse as it was the basics that we weren’t doing right,” admitted Abbott.

“We didn’t have the aggression or togetherness you need, and that isn’t an age issue. Maybe we were up against players who had a bit more experience or were a little technically better, but we had to improve our hunger.

“We did start to get that over time, and then we started to win games and that brought confidence which helped us to come together as a team.”

The Under-21s lost their first eight games in the Professional Development League South, but ended the season with four wins from their last eight.

“The first part of the season taught us a lot,” said Abbott. “We were playing games and were going 2-0 or 3-0 down early on and we had no chance to even get into the game.

“Now we know how to stay in a game even when we’re under pressure. I discussed it with my parents and the coaches before the season started and we all knew it was going to be hard early on, but also that we’d look back on it and say we’d developed.

“Sometimes you learn more and develop quicker when you’re losing games rather than when you’re winning easily.

“I think next season, we’ll see the benefits of what we’ve learned this season.”

Of course, while life in the Under-21s has been testing, Abbott was also captain of the Under-18 team that enjoyed a great campaign in the FA Youth Cup that saw Watford beat Everton on their way to the Fifth Round, where they went out to Arsenal.

It was a run that saw the young Hornets play in front of good crowds at Vicarage Road, but mention it to Abbott and he can’t get away from the disappointment of seeing a 2-0 lead against Arsenal turn into a 4-2 defeat.

Reflecting on what might have been at the end of the FA Youth Cup tie with Arsenal. (Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC)

“That was such a disappointing loss against Arsenal,” he said.

“What hurt with the Arsenal game was being 2-0 up inside 15 minutes, and then seeing them beat us and go on to reach the final.

“It sounds crazy to say it, but I don’t like getting into a winning position like that so early. It might be a ridiculous thing to say but when you’re 2-0 up early on at home in a cup tie, you’ve got everything to lose.

“If we’d got a third goal I think we would have killed them off, but when a team gets a goal it brings them momentum and once Arsenal scored they got on a roll.

“They had a very good side, and were bringing on players with first-team experience.

“That cup run was great for the club and showed what we have in the Academy, but I can’t help thinking if we had beaten Arsenal then we could have gone the distance in the cup.”

Abbott and fellow centre-half Josh Mullins built a very solid defensive pairing during the cup run.

“I’ve got a really good relationship with Josh, on and off the pitch. We’re always talking football at the training ground and away from it, and on the pitch we communicate really well.

“Josh is a year younger than me, but when he’s stepped up to the Under-21s he’s not looked out of place. I think next season we can build that partnership.”

In terms of learning, the Under-21s were given some hard lessons when they were beaten 3-0 in the Herts Senior Cup semi-final by Berkhamsted, who then went on to win the final.

The non-league side won their league at a canter with one of the best home records in the country, and their more experienced players gave the young Hornets a tough examination.

“Those games are really good for your development, because it was a team of mainly older players who know some of the dark arts and are going to use their experience to the best of their ability,” said Abbott.

“The pitch was one they were used to and we weren’t, and they played to their strengths which was to launch it in behind us. They got balls into our box as often as they could and basically said to us ‘there you go, deal with that’.

“Their centre half was massive, and every set piece he came forward and they were targeting him.

“They were very smart at what they did. I remember we were waiting and ready to come out of the dressing room, but they kept us waiting in the cold and then we did go out they were at it from the first whistle.

“It was a disappointing night but we learned a lot and credit to them, because they totally deserved to win.”

A bandaged Abbott heads for goal in the FA Youth Cup against Arsenal. (Image: Alan Cozzi/Watford FC)

It’s been a very progressive season for Abbott with skippering the Under-21s and Wales Under-19s, and he’s also seen Academy teammates like Tobi Adeyemo, Ryan Andrews, Adrian Blake, Michael Adu-Poku and Jack Grieves make their first-team debuts.

“That’s my ambition, to do the same,” he said.

“I understand that in football it’s a lot harder for a centre-half to break through because if you make a mistake, it very often leads to conceding a goal. That’s not quite the same pressure for a winger.

“What I have been happy about is when I’ve been playing in the Under-21s in a back four with first-team players, I’ve not felt out of place. Having them around me to support me has helped my game.

“It’s all about being given a chance. Ryan Andrews got his and he took it, winning man of the match in his home debut. That shows if you put trust in the Academy players, they want it so much and they will give you all they’ve got.

“When you’ve been at a football club for years as a kid and you get to make your first-team debut, it means so much.”

The story that attracted most attention this season was Adeyemo’s goal in the 2-0 win over Blackpool, just minutes after he stepped off the bench for his debut.

“That had a massive effect on all the players in the Academy,” said Abbott.

“It was a real boost to see someone I’ve known and played with for years do that. I remember being there watching it, and I got goosebumps. When he had his head in his hands during his celebration, that said it all.

“We were all so happy for him, and it told the rest of us that if you get given a chance and you take it, you’ll be in the team again.”

So, in training at London Colney, if it’s Abbott v Adeyemo, who wins?

“Oh me all day long!” laughed Abbott.

“He’ll tell you that as well! I’ve trained with Tobi every day for the last four or five years, and I know him inside out and can read him like a book.

“He might say he wins actually, but I’m telling you it’s me!”