Jaden Slory is making progress in the Feyenoord youth academy. The sixteen-year-old right winger plays for Feyenoord Under 18 and also played for several representative youth teams of the Dutch. His last name and position on the field immediately evoke memories of his father Andwelé, but Jaden and his trainer Melvin Boel are not too concerned with the well-known last name of the youngster.
In an interview with RTV Rijnmond tells Boel that ‘obviously a bit of pressure’ comes with being ‘the son of’. “But Andwelé is not always at the games, so as not to put the pressure on it. And he mainly lets Jaden do his own thing,” the Feyenoord Under 18 trainer makes clear. “Football was also different in Andwele’s time, different things are being asked. I think it is an enormous quality of a father who sometimes releases a son in it. The pressure on players is sometimes high enough.”
RTV Rijnmond spoke to Jaden Slory and published images of his actions.
Andwelé, who played for Feyenoord between 2007 and 2010, actually does that, says Jaden himself. “He actually only says ‘have fun, just do your thing’. He doesn’t interfere much with it. Only in a positive way,” the right winger assures. “I don’t worry about my last name at all, I try to make my own name. Hopefully I can go to De Kuip soon. Just train along, show that I’m there.”
Jaden signed his first professional contract with Feyenoord in June of this year. As a result, he is fixed until mid-2024. Technical director Frank Arnesen said at the time that it was up to Jaden to show ‘how much he wants to succeed as a professional football player’. “It starts with having talent and Jaden naturally has that in abundance. But the football players who really break through do so thanks to their unbridled commitment. Getting the best out of yourself every day: that is the motto.”