The 19-year-old is well known to anyone who has watched the Academy and reserves sides over the last couple of years, but on his first real involvement with the seniors Shaleum turned in some excellent performances on the right of midfield
“It was my first trip away with the first team squad and I was just happy to be there,” says Shaleum. “But when I knew I was starting I didn’t shrink, I just told myself to take my chance.
“It just shows you how mad football is. I didn’t know whether I was going to get a contract or not last year, I got one, then I got injured and was always trying to get my fitness back. I was still playing well in games and I always knew that if I carried on doing that I’d get my chance to play with the first team and I knew I could take it.
He certainly did that and Shaleum started both games during the week away in Sweden.
“I always knew that if I could get up there with the ‘big boys’ I’d be able to do well with them,” he continues.
“I’d played with the boys before [in training] and I didn’t feel uncomfortable. I feel comfortable around the senior lads and if you play with better players you get better yourself. So I feel I’ve progressed and was always going to get that bit better.”
Yet another product of the City Academy, how does he feel about the prospect of becoming the 22nd graduate of the Club’s youth system to play for the first team in a competitive match?
“Hopefully I will be number 22 – I’d love it to be me! Even if I just play for five minutes that would be me made up for life.”
Better known as a defender, Shaleum’s pace may have had an influence on Sven-Goran Eriksson’s decision to play him further up the park in Sweden, and of the manager Shaleum concludes by saying:
“He speaks to the lads individually and he’s spoken to me a couple of times. Like the first game, he said to me ‘can you play right winger?’ I said ‘yeah’ and thought nothing more of it, but then the next game I was starting, so he must have seen something.
“To be fair, I’ve played in every outfield position apart from centre back and centre midfield, but I’m probably most comfortable in left or right back. I wouldn’t mind playing on either wing, I think I’ve got the fitness to do that, but I’d play anywhere anyway – put me in goal!”
