Gene Kennedy: A player too good for the drop.
Scouting & Analysis
This Easter weekend, I headed down to Welling v Maidstone. I was on no particular scouting mission; instead, I was just catching up with a mate and hoping to take in an exciting non-league derby. Welling is one of my more local sides, I’ve watched them several times this season and truth be told it’s been a struggle. Lack of form and management changes had seen the side flirt with the relegation zone all season. Unfortunately, this Good Friday very quickly turned into a bad one; a 4-0 loss finally saw them relegated to the Isthmian Premier and step 3 football.
This isn’t a piece about Welling’s woes. Despite having a few games left this campaign, the side will no doubt already be looking ahead, planning and working to bounce straight back up next season. I personally hope this is the case, as I enjoy having a National League South side on my doorstep.
Back to the actual match, Welling rattled the bar twice but otherwise struggled to get any real foothold on a pitch that has seen better days. An uncharacteristic error from Rhys Lovvett and a shocking back pass from on-loan defender Riccardo Di Trolio gifted the visitors two second-half goals.
Who I felt most sorry for was Welling’s CM Gene Kennedy, who spent most of the game watching the ball go back and forth over his head and cut a figure of frustration come the end. Kennedy is someone I’ve kept an eye on this season. He started as a CDM but gradually moved forward, quickly becoming the side’s main goal threat (in truth only real goal threat) from midfield.
Name: Gene John Kennedy
Position: CM
Age: 22 (18th April 2003)
Height: 188cm
Preferred foot: Right
What’s his story?
A youth product of the Colchester United Academy, the young midfielder started at U10 level, joining from local side Keveddon Hatch. Kennedy worked his way up through the youth categories at the club, eventually making his professional debut for Colchester in a 1–0 EFL Cup loss to Birmingham City on 10th August 2021. He also made his English Football League debut for the club on 21st August 2021, coming off the bench in Colchester's 2–1 win at Oldham Athletic.
February 2023 saw him join Braintree Town on a month-long loan, the short spell saw him make 4 appearances but crucially gave him a taste of the National League South. The following season (2023-2024) saw another February loan move saw him join Welling on a loan until the end of the season. His form and profile did enough to convince Welling he’d be a useful permanent addition to the side, as they moved to sign him on a free transfer from Colchester.
2024-2025 has seen him become a near-permanent fixture in the first team. 40 league appearances (all starts) earn him an impressive 91% of all league minutes played; that figure would be 100% if not for some silly suspensions. He also boasts a 30% involvement in all Welling goals this season, scoring 8 himself alongside 3 assists. Excellent stats for a Midfielder who started initially in a deeper role and played in a poor attacking side.
How does he play?
As I mentioned, he started life as a CDM but this season has become more of a box-to-box midfielder. This makes sense as any team would like their best player to be involved as much in the play as possible. The times I’ve seen him live its been his attacking attributes that have made more of a impact, his defensive skills (although by no means terrible) playing second fiddle.
His 6’2 frame and long stride make him ready-made for the box-to-box role. One of his main strengths his covering ground very quickly and he combines this with intelligent runs from deeper positions, often breaking into the channels or up in support of his forward teammates. Despite his height and long limbs, he is also a good dribbler, showing good close control and the ability to use both feet he favours a more efficient style, knocking the ball into space or chopping inside over agile, trick-based dribbling.
His finishing ability has been an unexpected bonus as well this season, his 8 goals from midfield have been littered with clinical penalty box finishes. One of the main reasons for this is his ability to strike the ball cleanly with a mixture of power and accuracy.
Passing has been a weakness in the games I’ve seen him in. At times, he rushes the move or makes the wrong decision when attempting to pick out a teammate. He can pick out a pass though; his assist below shows his awareness and vision, but i’d like to see him be more consistent with his passing, especially if he was to join a side who try to keep possession.
Forward Runs and Ball Carrying
As I mentioned, Kennedy started off the season playing deeper and screening the back four. This limited his chances of getting forward and nullified one of his strongest attributes. A tactical change saw him given a freer role in the midfield and the chance to effectively roam from his position, essentially becoming a box-to-box midfielder who leaned more towards offense.
In these examples, we can see how his runs from deep, ground coverage and dribbling ability make him one of Welling’s most effective weapons for disrupting opposition defences.
1.
Below is his recent assist against Farnborough Town, starting from a central position, he sees the space opened up behind the opposition LB and sprints into the gap. The resulting pass into his path results in the CB being drawn out of position. Showing good awareness, balance and close control, he is able to chop the ball inside before cutting the ball back for his ST, who gets an easy tap-in.
2.
In this example, we have Kennedy receiving a knockdown on the halfway line. He is the type of midfielder who is always on the move and is able to transfer that positive movement straight into moving the ball forward.
His big stride and long limbs allow him to not only cover the ground quicker than the chasing opposition but also allow him to hold them off when they do come within range to win the ball. His dribbling style is direct, efficient and, when paired with his speed, the result is him being able to cover large amounts of ground with limited touches.
On this occasion, Kennedy can drive to the edge of the box, forcing the opposition to drop deep. He then cuts the ball back onto his stronger right foot and attempts a strike from distance. Unfortunately, the ball ends up with the fans behind the goal, but the opportunity for the strike was entirely his own creation.
3.
Again, we have an example of the midfielder drifting into the channel and drawing opposition defenders out of position. We also see him using his opposite foot for the chop inside. Unfortunately, the far corner is cut off by the defender’s positioning so the strike is straight at the keeper. His willingness to commit to the offensive runs and provide another number in attack is the main reason he has contributed to a third of Wellings’ G/A this season.
Goal Scoring
A CDM/CM being your top scorer isn’t good for anyone other than the player in question. Welling has ultimately paid the price for that this season; Kennedy’s 8 goals have given him the top spot.
Like I mentioned in the last section, his willingness to get up and support his forwards often results in him being in positions where he can get strikes in at goal. Unlike a lot of midfielders, these opportunities aren’t all from range, and he can often be found breaking into the box.
That being said, his ability to strike the ball cleanly with power and precision does mean he poses a danger if given space from distance. The below footage of his strike against Dorking is a good example of this.
1.
Below is an example of Kennedy timing his run into the box well, good close control to control the ball directly to his stronger foot before unleashing a clinical and powerful strike beyond the opposition keeper. Opting to go near post, the snap shot is his with enough power to give the keeper little time to react.
2.
This is my favourite goal of Kennedy’s this season. Welling find themselves 1-0 up and protecting the lead when the ball breaks to the ST high up the pitch. The opposition have committed several players forward and the resulting space allows Kennedy to open his legs and show his impressive top speed and stamina. Racing up to join his teammate, he provides a simple passing option.
After receiving a nicely weighted pass, showing composure and a striker-like instinct, he dinks it first time over the onrushing keeper. The ball rolls into the empty net, and the midfielder can reel away knowing he has secured the win.
3.
This example highlights Kennedy’s ability to strike the ball cleanly. He often shoots with power but can keep the ball hard and low. He takes the initial strike from the edge of the area after running onto the ball from a deeper position.
The first strike is blocked, the ball luckily drops nicely again on the edge of the box, Kennedy already has momentum, and is first to the ball. He drives the ball low and hard into the far corner, executing a striker-like finish and giving the keeper no chance.
Conclusion
The young midfielder would bring a mixture of physical speed and stamina to any side, his box-to-box playing style also means he’d contribute at both ends of the pitch. His intelligent running and ball-carrying ability will make him a useful weapon to sides who like to counter or stretch the game. Any midfielder who brings goals with his game is also something any team could use. There are weaknesses; his passing both short and long needs to be more consistent. He has the skill to find these passes, but needs to be more composed in his decision-making. He also picks up bookings frequently (10 this season, alongside 1 red), so his discipline/tackling could do with some polishing.
At 22 (and only very recently 22), Kennedy has much time and room to develop as a player. Despite this, he only has one full season as a first-team regular in the National League South, which has obviously resulted in relegation. Certainly not his fault, but it would be hard to argue he should be playing at a higher level just yet. His form on the poor side would have made enough clubs in the division sit up and take notice. With local teams like Dartford and Billericay also chasing promotion from the Isthmian Premier, I wouldn’t be surprised if the midfielder has a few different opportunities to stay in the league.
All footage and stills taken from the sides’ YouTube highlights, links below
https://www.youtube.com/@WellingUnitedOfficial
https://www.youtube.com/@TheBoroTV
https://www.youtube.com/@sloughtownfc