Can Ben Worman be Cambridge United’s heir to Wes Hoolahan?

Wes Hoolahan and Ben Worman are at very different stages of their respective careers.

39-year-old Hoolahan is regarded by many to be a legend of English football, especially in East Anglia. A 10-year stint at Norwich City saw him star for the Canaries in the Premier League and the Championship, earning him the nickname ‘Wessi’ after six-time Balon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi.

Subsequent spells at West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle Jets preceded a move to Cambridge United, where he helped guide the U’s to promotion from League Two.

Worman, on the other hand, is just 20. A product of Cambridge’s academy, he became the youngest player to make a competitive appearance for the club when he was just 16. On October 26th 2021, he started his first league game against Doncaster Rovers in League One. Exactly a week later, he scored his first senior goal for the club away at Morecambe.

However, this wasn’t just any goal. No, this goal sent shockwaves across social media and the entire football community. In fact, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if his stunning strike at the Mazuma Stadium ends up as the League One goal of the season.

After 28 minutes on the Lancashire coast, Cambridge were slowly starting to grow into the game. Centre-back Conor Masterson pinged a cross out wide to Jubril Okedina, who was playing out of position at right-back. His run up the pitch was cut short, as he instead opted to turn back and set up Jensen Weir, who in turn launched a pinpoint pass to the edge of the penalty area.

Nobody could’ve expected what would happen next.

Worman stood just inside the ‘D’, latched onto the ball with a deft first-time touch. He flicked it back up in the air, before firing a stunning left-footed volley past Jökull Andrésson and into the roof of the Morecambe net.

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— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) November 3, 2021

This was a strike that Messi himself would’ve been proud of, never mind Hoolahan or anyone else in League One. The fact that it came from a Cambridge academy graduate on his second league start made it even sweeter.

Cambridge went on to win the game 2-0, making it consecutive victories and clean sheets after their seven-game winless run saw them drop perilously close to the relegation zone. Now, with seven points from their last three games, the U’s are up to 10th in League One with a seven-point cushion on the bottom four.

The win at Morecambe also provided the club with a look at the future, one without their renowned Irishman pulling the strings in midfield.

After all, Hoolahan will turn 40 less than a month after the conclusion of the current league campaign. While he shows no signs of slowing up, it looks increasingly unlikely that he’ll still be playing professional football after this season.

In a way, that might be for the best. There’s no arguing that his performances last season played a huge part in the U’s sealing automatic promotion to League One, and some of his showings this season have been dazzling, to say the least.

Unfortunately, Hoolahan has become a bit of a poisoned chalice for reasons outside of his control.

He is, of course, the star man in this Cambridge side, especially following the departure of Paul Mullin over the summer. He’s an instantly recognisable name on the team sheet and the player opposition managers always pick out.

He carries a similar presence in the team. He’s expected to be the man pulling the strings and orchestrating attacking phases. He’s not only expected to assist goals but to score them as well. His free-roaming role in the heart of Cambridge’s midfield is perfect but it puts an unimaginable amount of pressure on him.

At 39-years-old, he can’t handle that pressure on a consistent basis.

When Hoolahan starts for the U’s and isn’t at his best, his teammates often look deflated and lifeless. There’s an over-reliance on him to grab the team by the scruff of its neck and drag them to a result. If he can’t do that, Cambridge very rarely win.

In recent weeks, we got a taste of what life without the Irishman would be like. His injury provided a platform for the likes of Adam May and Jensen Weir to step into the starting lineup, while the former’s straight red card against Shrewsbury Town saw Worman given a gateway to the first team as well.

Weir, unsurprisingly, has received glowing reports for his performances in Cambridge’s recent outings. While he is actually younger than Worman, he is also on loan from one of the top Premier League academies (Brighton & Hove Albion) and is a regular starter for England’s under-21s.

Worman doesn’t have the same wealth of experience at youth level but has played just as well as Weir has in recent weeks. The fact that he’s a product of the U’s academy makes his performances feel more valuable.

Speaking after his wonder-goal against Morecambe, Worman explained how much it meant for him to score for his boyhood team.

“I’ve supported the club since I can remember and Cambridge have always been my team, I used to come to all the games. So it’s a special moment to finally get a nice reward tonight, in the league and at a good level as well.

“I’m pleased with that and I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made. I’ve just tried to stick with it and back my ability, and be confident whenever I’ve been asked to come into team. I’ve just got to keep doing that whenever the gaffer needs me to play and whenever I get that chance. I just want to keep progressing and kick onto another level.”

Of course, the 20-year-old has a long way to go before he can match the career of a cult hero such as Hoolahan. After all, the former Republic of Ireland international was playing professional football before Worman was even born, and he’ll be twice his age by May next year.

However, there are key similarities in how the two of them play. Both are small midfielders, standing at roughly 5’6. Neither are overly fast, but both are impressive dribblers and have an eye for a defence-splitting pass. Above all, both of them are intelligent players whose movement can be incredibly unpredictable.

Hoolahan has an abundance of experience behind him that helps him read and dictate games at this level, something which Worman lacks at the moment, but will gain over the coming months and years.

The only way that can happen is if he plays more regularly. Cambridge’s midfield is incredibly competitive, with six players vying for three spots in the starting lineup, albeit that captain Paul Digby is always the first name on the team sheet when available.

The onus is on both the player and the manager to continue his progression. Mark Bonner needs to provide Worman with ample opportunities in League One this season, with the midfielder, in turn, needing to show his worth whenever he’s given the chance to start.

All being well, there’s no limit on what Worman can achieve, and can undoubtedly be Cambridge’s heir to Hoolahan after this season.

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