Chelsea’s Lauren James shows how giving promising young players time can pay off

Not since Kelly Smith have I been as excited by a player as I am by Lauren James in the women’s game. The England and Chelsea striker has the potential to be one of the best in the world.

James is only 21 but she has shown her raw attributes for a number of years and has constantly improved to become one of the most exciting players in the Women’s Super League.

Chelsea sit second in the table, a point behind Manchester United but with a game in hand, and James is one of the key reasons for their title challenge. She is finding consistency in her performances, keeping them at a high level each week, and it is making her more confident, which is a great attribute.

James has natural ability and is incredibly graceful in how she moves the ball for someone so quick and powerful. She effortlessly glides with the ball and I have not seen another player do this. I also enjoy how she can manipulate the ball and her ability to finish with either foot. The scary thing is that she is so young and has lots of time to grow and develop.

People have known about James for a long time but the journey to the top is rarely straightforward. I remember hearing about her when she was a youngster at Arsenal and I saw her first as a teenager at United, where she stood out, especially for someone so young.

She was given a call-up to an England training camp aged 18 in 2020, a sign of how highly thought of she is within the national setup. It took until last September for her to finally make her international debut but she has not looked back.

Emma Hayes took her time with James, the Chelsea manager saying the club needed to “build Lauren James to last”. It was a bold decision considering the £200,000 fee paid to bring the then 19-year-old back to her childhood club, a record deal between English sides in 2021. Sometimes, especially at that age, it is hard to see the long-term positives of not rushing things and it would have been frustrating for James to watch so much from the sidelines and make only six league appearances all season. But those decisions are paying off and have helped her flourish. James has acknowledged this and now thanks Hayes for her management. Hayes knows she has not bought the player for one season but for years to come, and both are reaping the rewards.

Big football clubs should be investing in the best medical care for their female players, making departments equipped to fully understand female physiology and what the body needs. Chelsea do that and it is not a surprise that being in such an environment has made James and others work efficiently.

Lauren James leaves Arsenal’s Steph Catley in her wake during Chelsea’s FA Cup fifth-round victory on Saturday. Photograph: Harriet Lander/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

James has already made history after becoming half of the first brother and sister pairing to represent England. It is an incredible achievement and their family will be incredibly proud of her and Reece. I am sure having her elder brother progressing up the ranks with Chelsea will have helped push Lauren forward, especially in such a competitive domestic environment where they would often play together. No one wants to be bested by their brother or sister. Maybe they were playing attacker v defender and that is how they have ended up as the players they are. What I really like about the two is that they are very supportive of one another. Reece champions Lauren and rightly always looks incredibly proud of her.

Respect was quickly earned by Lauren within the England Women’s squad, summed up best by Leah Williamson’s video game analogy, the captain describing James as “a cheat code”. James has that X factor because she is able to produce a piece of magic in the blink of an eye. Her goal-of-the-month winner against Spurs last month was evidence of that, as she dribbled through the defence before calmly slotting into the corner.

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No one has ever doubted James’s potential, especially the player herself, who has spoken of wanting to win the Ballon d’Or. I wish I’d had her confidence at that age. My advice now to young players is: if you want something, go after it and with hard work you can achieve it. She will have to do the right things, surround herself with the right people and work for the coaches who will give the opportunity to be the best in the world.

There is no shortage of competition in the England squad for wide players at this year’s World Cup and James will continue to make a case to start in Australia and New Zealand. The most exciting thing for England is that they are all young players vying for the shirt, with Lauren Hemp, Jess Park and Chloe Kelly in the mix. It is a shame Beth Mead is injured but the depth is incredible in those positions and they can keep pushing each other until the opening match.

England are blessed with a number of match‑winners and when I watch James I know she fits into that category. Her main challenge is to keep up the consistency over a long period but that comes with age and being in an environment that helps you to do that. Every time I watch James she makes me smile because she plays football how it should be, with great joy and confidence. It makes me happy, and I can’t wait to watch her career blossom over the years ahead.