The youngster has the potential to be a very good player, but must be given time
After Saturday’s League Two match at Doncaster Rovers, Leyton Orient winger Sandro Semedo took to Twitter to write “nothing makes me more sad than being disappointed in myself.”
The O’s youngster wrote the comment on social media after a poor display at the Keepmoat Stadium.
Semedo should have done better for Doncaster’s first goal when he could only initially head the ball straight up in the air following a corner.
Orient’s talented teen then let Tommy Rowe get to the ball too easily and Jordan Houghton smashed in the equaliser.
It was a mistake and a costly one, though it is easy to forget just how young and inexperienced Semedo is.
Saturday’s fixture at Doncaster was the Portuguese wingers’ 21st appearance of the campaign for Orient.
Yet Semedo only turns 20 on Saturday and has made just 16 starts for O’s during his professional career.
With the likes of Myles Judd, Aron Pollock, Josh Koroma, Henry Ochieng and Victor Adeboyejo all getting a chance to impress in November, it is easy to forget that Semedo is really just one of them too.
The 19-year-old only graduated from Orient’s academy in the summer of 2015 and needs to be given time.
He is older than Judd, Pollock, Koroma, Ochieng and Adeboyejo, yet like them still developing and learning.
We have seen glimpses of Semedo’s potential this campaign with a wonderful goal against Stevenage in the English Football League Trophy on August 30.
The former Welling United loanee also crucially found the net at Hartlepool United in October, which was the catalyst for a rare recent O’s win.
Anybody at Victoria Park that bitter afternoon could see just how much that goal meant to Semedo.
His celebration in front of the away fans exuded pure passion and demonstrated his desperation to succeed at Orient.
Semedo is a versatile player and that has seen him used on both flanks and at left-back earlier in the campaign.
There’s no doubt the teen looks most comfortable on the wing and you would expect that is where he’ll play with Andy Edwards in charge.
It was only during the first month of the season when former boss Andy Hessenthaler used Semedo at left-back.
At times the O’s number 22 caught the eye, though it quickly became apparent his best position is higher up the pitch.
Semedo’s performances this campaign have fluctuated between encouraging and frustrating in equal measure.
But with a player so young it really shouldn’t be a surprise to see such inconsistency and patience is required.
I was pleased that so many Orient supporters responded positively to Semedo’s tweet and urged him to keep his head up.
While the winger may be disappointed with himself, he really shouldn’t be. He has been chucked in the deep end this season and always tried his best.
Admittedly at times he hasn’t always performed well, though his effort is something that can’t be questioned and his talent is clear to see.
If managed properly, Semedo can go on to become a very good player for O’s and have a career in the Football League.
With Edwards now in charge, you suspect the Orient youngster has the best person possible nurturing him.
This season has been tough at times for Semedo, but with patience and hard work he can come through it a much better player.
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