Michelle Kaufman has detailed what Inter Miami manager Tata Martino really thinks of Noah Allen’s form this season.
The 19-year-old defender broke through with the Herons in 2022 under Phil Neville after coming through the club’s academy, with the Florida-born talent since finding a niche for himself in Inter Miami’s squad as a versatile option across the backline.
With some big signings in the last 12 months in the form of Jordi Alba and Nicolas Freire, Allen this season has already acted as backup cover for his new Inter Miami teammates, with the teenager recently starting away in Mexico against CF Monterrey.
And Martino already has a clear opinion on how he feels about Allen and his potential.
Martino ‘thinks a lot’ about Allen after Inter Miami breakthrough
Speaking on Inside Inter Miami, the Miami Herald’s Kaufman revealed that Martino has a very high opinion of Allen, with the Argentine coach eager to give as many minutes as possible to the Pembroke Pines-born talent.
With Allen playing both left-back and center-back this season, it’s clear that Martino is open to given the 19-year-old game time whenever possible, with the defender already playing close to 600 minutes this season,
Kaufman said when asked about how Allen is viewed in the Inter Miami camp: “The fact he’s on the team at all is really incredible. Tata thinks a lot of him, he’s even had Allen play down the middle because he wants him to get minutes.
“Of course, when Alba’s fit, he isn’t playing, but Tata does think a lot of Noah Allen. He’s a smart player, he works hard, he does whatever’s asked for him, it’s a huge responsibility to be out there in places like Monterrey and to play in these tough games.”
Allen needs to find his ideal position for progress to explode
There’s a real niche to Allen’s game in being able to play numerous positions across the back, especially given how young the US youth international is and who the defender has played alongside.
Yet if the fullback’s career is to really progress, Allen needs to find his ideal position and take on as much as he possibly can from his Inter Miami teammates whole play in the same role.
Given that left-back is where Allen made his name at youth-level, sticking to that position and learning from one of the best in Alba could be a great idea from the Inter Miami defender, who could succeed the former Spanish international at the club in the years to come.