Yorkshire Evening Post 16/7/10
Somma's loving Whites challenge
By Phil Hay
Simon Grayson is tired of discussing it but the topic of how to replace Jermaine Beckford at Leeds United is this summer's keenest debate.
It did not occur to the wider public that the answer might already be on the club's books.
To predict that Davide Somma will easily bridge the gap would ask much of someone whose prior experience with United's senior side begins and ends with the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, but some around the squad at Leeds are starting to wonder.
Grayson himself encouraged the idea that Leeds could unleash Somma in the Championship next season by stating on Tuesday that a third loan deal for the striker was out of the question, regardless of whether another new striker follows Billy Paynter into the club.
Reports from the Slovakian city of Poprad, where Grayson and his squad have lain low and trained hard for the past week, speak of Somma as a player who is oozing confidence in the manner of a seasoned professional.
Suddenly, the prospect of him helping to deliver the goals so often supplied by Beckford in the past seems less far-fetched.
A more uncertain character than Somma would fear the weight of excessive expectation. Others would say that assuming he can replace Beckford overnight is ambitious to the point of ridiculous, but the 25-year-old will be the last man to talk himself down.
"I'm ready to go for it next season," he said, speaking at United's training camp in Slovakia.
"The Championship doesn't scare me and it's no problem if people want to challenge me to score goals at that level. Bring it on.
"There's no comparison to be made with Jermaine because I haven't scored the goals that he did – but he's an inspiration for me, definitely. He should be an inspiration for all of us now that he's gone to Everton. It's an amazing move for someone with his background.
"All of a sudden I've got my own chance to be a Leeds player – a regular Leeds player – and I'm desperate not to mess it up.
"If I look or sound confident then I need to be because this might be where it happens for me.
"I learned in a few months what a difference confidence makes."
Beckford is an inspiration for the simple reason that the early part of his career was essentially a mirror-image of Somma's recent journey.
Beckford was initially as anonymous at Elland Road as Somma was last season, a situation which, in the case of Beckford, a loan at Carlisle United and the odd appearance for Leeds failed to improve. It was not until he temporarily left Elland Road again and ran riot with Scunthorpe United that his star began to ascend.
What fortune Beckford found in Scunthorpe, Somma found with Lincoln City last season. He is, he admits, indebted to Lincoln manager and former Chelsea forward Chris Sutton for discovering the reliable and potent striker in him.
Nine goals in 14 appearances left Sutton itching to re-sign him when his two-month loan ended in May.
Somma was enticed by the possibility until Leeds made a firm commitment to him by extending his contract for another 12 months.
Grayson promised him a fair opportunity throughout pre-season and delivered on it by playing him throughout the second half of Tuesday's friendly defeat to MFK Ruzomberok. By common consensus, the striker was the most impressive Leeds player on the field.
"I owe a lot to Lincoln, and to Chris Sutton," Somma conceded. "He's basically the one who taught me how to make runs, where to position myself, and how to make the most of the possession I got.
"Every day I spent extra time out on the training field and worked over and over again on getting my performances right.
"I'm not saying that League Two is the same standard as League One or the Championship, but if you're properly drilled in how to play as a striker then you've at least got a chance of making the step up.
"What I found was that if you got in the right positions consistently, eventually a defender would get lazy and find himself in the wrong place at the right time. The same thing happens in every division.
"Mentally and professionally, I'm a different player than I was before I went to Lincoln and it's done me the world of good.
"I'm sure can be a Championship player. I've no doubt about that at all.
"I know I'll need to put my money where my mouth if I get a chance, but I do want that chance."
Somma's apparent sharpness is all the more compelling on account of his late return to pre-season training, an enforced absence caused by problems with his visa.
His inclusion in the squad taken to Slovakia was a further sign of Grayson's intention to monitor him closely.
And the guarantee that Somma will be at Elland Road when the season starts was welcome news for a forward who has made just one substitute appearance with Leeds and could easily have been out of contract this summer.
The sole fly in Somma's ointment is the three-match suspension he will serve when the Championship season starts, the legacy of a red card on his final appearance with the Sincil Bank club.
Speaking on Tuesday, Grayson said: "We know we've got a player there and we've got no intention of letting him go out on loan again. That served a purpose last season in getting him used to the English game."
Somma said: "There were times when I didn't really think I'd be here this season.
"I got injured on my first appearance for Leeds, went on loan to Chesterfield and got injured again. It didn't seem likely that anything was going to happen for me.
"But to be here on tour is fantastic.
"I want to make it at this club so badly and to know that I'm part of the plans, that I won't be going on loan before the season starts, it's a big deal.
"I know where I stand and it's great."
Somma's loving Whites challenge
By Phil Hay
Simon Grayson is tired of discussing it but the topic of how to replace Jermaine Beckford at Leeds United is this summer's keenest debate.
It did not occur to the wider public that the answer might already be on the club's books.
To predict that Davide Somma will easily bridge the gap would ask much of someone whose prior experience with United's senior side begins and ends with the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, but some around the squad at Leeds are starting to wonder.
Grayson himself encouraged the idea that Leeds could unleash Somma in the Championship next season by stating on Tuesday that a third loan deal for the striker was out of the question, regardless of whether another new striker follows Billy Paynter into the club.
Reports from the Slovakian city of Poprad, where Grayson and his squad have lain low and trained hard for the past week, speak of Somma as a player who is oozing confidence in the manner of a seasoned professional.
Suddenly, the prospect of him helping to deliver the goals so often supplied by Beckford in the past seems less far-fetched.
A more uncertain character than Somma would fear the weight of excessive expectation. Others would say that assuming he can replace Beckford overnight is ambitious to the point of ridiculous, but the 25-year-old will be the last man to talk himself down.
"I'm ready to go for it next season," he said, speaking at United's training camp in Slovakia.
"The Championship doesn't scare me and it's no problem if people want to challenge me to score goals at that level. Bring it on.
"There's no comparison to be made with Jermaine because I haven't scored the goals that he did – but he's an inspiration for me, definitely. He should be an inspiration for all of us now that he's gone to Everton. It's an amazing move for someone with his background.
"All of a sudden I've got my own chance to be a Leeds player – a regular Leeds player – and I'm desperate not to mess it up.
"If I look or sound confident then I need to be because this might be where it happens for me.
"I learned in a few months what a difference confidence makes."
Beckford is an inspiration for the simple reason that the early part of his career was essentially a mirror-image of Somma's recent journey.
Beckford was initially as anonymous at Elland Road as Somma was last season, a situation which, in the case of Beckford, a loan at Carlisle United and the odd appearance for Leeds failed to improve. It was not until he temporarily left Elland Road again and ran riot with Scunthorpe United that his star began to ascend.
What fortune Beckford found in Scunthorpe, Somma found with Lincoln City last season. He is, he admits, indebted to Lincoln manager and former Chelsea forward Chris Sutton for discovering the reliable and potent striker in him.
Nine goals in 14 appearances left Sutton itching to re-sign him when his two-month loan ended in May.
Somma was enticed by the possibility until Leeds made a firm commitment to him by extending his contract for another 12 months.
Grayson promised him a fair opportunity throughout pre-season and delivered on it by playing him throughout the second half of Tuesday's friendly defeat to MFK Ruzomberok. By common consensus, the striker was the most impressive Leeds player on the field.
"I owe a lot to Lincoln, and to Chris Sutton," Somma conceded. "He's basically the one who taught me how to make runs, where to position myself, and how to make the most of the possession I got.
"Every day I spent extra time out on the training field and worked over and over again on getting my performances right.
"I'm not saying that League Two is the same standard as League One or the Championship, but if you're properly drilled in how to play as a striker then you've at least got a chance of making the step up.
"What I found was that if you got in the right positions consistently, eventually a defender would get lazy and find himself in the wrong place at the right time. The same thing happens in every division.
"Mentally and professionally, I'm a different player than I was before I went to Lincoln and it's done me the world of good.
"I'm sure can be a Championship player. I've no doubt about that at all.
"I know I'll need to put my money where my mouth if I get a chance, but I do want that chance."
Somma's apparent sharpness is all the more compelling on account of his late return to pre-season training, an enforced absence caused by problems with his visa.
His inclusion in the squad taken to Slovakia was a further sign of Grayson's intention to monitor him closely.
And the guarantee that Somma will be at Elland Road when the season starts was welcome news for a forward who has made just one substitute appearance with Leeds and could easily have been out of contract this summer.
The sole fly in Somma's ointment is the three-match suspension he will serve when the Championship season starts, the legacy of a red card on his final appearance with the Sincil Bank club.
Speaking on Tuesday, Grayson said: "We know we've got a player there and we've got no intention of letting him go out on loan again. That served a purpose last season in getting him used to the English game."
Somma said: "There were times when I didn't really think I'd be here this season.
"I got injured on my first appearance for Leeds, went on loan to Chesterfield and got injured again. It didn't seem likely that anything was going to happen for me.
"But to be here on tour is fantastic.
"I want to make it at this club so badly and to know that I'm part of the plans, that I won't be going on loan before the season starts, it's a big deal.
"I know where I stand and it's great."