Jack Wakely of Chelsea FC…

Wakely was a key part of the Chelsea team that won the PL2 title last season, going unbeaten in the process.

The young defender, who has been with the club since his Under-9 days is a tall and dominant centre-back who is brilliant aerially and a good passer of the ball. Jack is a leader at the back and has also captained Chelsea at U18 level in the past.

Here, Jack talks about, amongst other things, his favourite memories from last season and some of the toughest opponents he has come up against so far.

Growing up, who were your role models in the footballing world?

Prior to joining Chelsea when I was 9, I played for my local village team, as well as Wycombe Wanderers and Tottenham.
When I was younger, I played in midfield as I could dominate games from there, but shortly after joining Chelsea I started playing at centre back due to my tall physique.
As a result, someone I’ve always been a massive fan of and a huge role model for me is John Terry.
I always watched him closely when going to Stamford Bridge to watch games and later on at Chelsea I’ve had the chance to work with him in training sessions too.
He’s capable using both feet which is something I have worked on and is now an asset of mine, meaning I can play either side at CB with an effective range of passing off my left and right.
He also leads from the back and has a great desire to defend and put his body on the line which I have tried to add to my game.

I can imagine that in your position as a defender you would have come up against some difficult opponents already, are there any particular opponents that you can recall who gave you a hard time?

At a club like Chelsea, it’s great for my development as I have come up against top players in training every day for years.
I’ve grown up playing with Callum Hudson-Odoi and often against him in training games which was tough as he’s great at dribbling at pace at defenders with the ball.
Another at Chelsea would be Tammy Abraham as he’s a big guy who can hold the ball up against you well and he has lots of energy too.
Away from Chelsea, I remember playing against Mason Greenwood which I found tricky as he can go both ways and use both feet as well as being good at dribbling and getting shots off with only half a yard of space.
That enabled me to highlight this and it’s something I have worked on with movement coaches like Hailu Theodros at Chelsea.

You spent the second half of the 2018-19 season on loan at Basingstoke Town, how would you describe your time there?

I was 18 when I went to Basingstoke and played 16 games for them - I enjoyed it and learnt a huge amount.
The manager, the team and the supporters were really welcoming.
I went to get experience of the adult game, and I learnt a lot! I was always the youngest player on the pitch by years but I did not let that phase me.
It was often a far more physical game than I had been used to at the Academy which was good for me as I learned little tricks to combat it. I was not sure how I would feel before I went, but I loved my time there.

Are there any particular coaches who have played a vital role in your development as a player?

I have had the privilege of working under lots of excellent coaches at Chelsea, many of which were top players themselves so their advice and coaching has always been appreciated.
I’m currently working under Andy Myers and Jon Harley who made me captain at U18 level giving me the confidence to shoot from 30 yards out and score goal of the season and we won the PL2 league last season.
I would also mention Ed Brand and Jody Morris at U18 level as we won the quadruple of titles in one season under them.
I remember back when I first joined the club at 9, my coach Brian was a massive help in settling me in, filling me with confidence and making me feel welcome.
Between then and now, a few coaches who have also massively helped with my development are Cyril Davies, Frank O’Brien and Tore Andre Flo.

This just keeps rising into the top corner! 🚀

What a screamer from Under-18s captain, Jack Wakely on Saturday! 👏 pic.twitter.com/b3KuRmUSFf
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 6, 2018

You were a part of the Chelsea side that won the PL2 title last season, what was your favourite memory from the season?

Last season was an odd season as it was shortened at the end by COVID and there were other challenges to face such as competition for a place in the team with Antonio Rudiger coming down to get minutes returning from injury.
However, I am very proud that in a season where we won the PL2 title for the first time since 2013/14, I made 18 appearances and we conceded the fewest goals in the league.
Two of my favourite memories of the season, however, are that, as a team, we were unbeaten in the league which is a massive feat anywhere in football and personally, starting at Stamford Bridge and winning in front of my family.

Are there any short-term goals that you have set for yourself for the ongoing season?

My short-term goals for the rest of the season are to achieve a loan to a league side domestically or a good level abroad to continue to develop my football.
I’d like to play as many games as possible to show people what I can do and add some goals to my game offensively.

Six Questions: Jack Wakely of Chelsea FC