Poleon promised a place in Whites plans
YEP 12/7/13
by Phil Hay
Dominic Poleon has been promised a place in Leeds United’s plans for next season after finding the net in the club’s first two summer friendlies.
United manager Brian McDermott ruled out the possibility of the striker departing on loan again with Poleon settling into a more prominent role at Elland Road.
The 19-year-old – an academy product originally recruited from Southend United – has been on the fringes of Leeds’ squad for the past 12 months but his chances of a serious breakthrough were restricted by loans at Bury and Sheffield United.
McDermott, however, threw him into the fray on the last day of the term at Watford and has used Poleon for 45 minutes in both of United’s pre-season matches against Farsley and a Slovenian select XI.
The forward followed up his effort at Throstle Nest with an eye-catching 20-yard strike in Murska Sobota on Wednesday evening.
Leeds have made major changes to their group of strikers during the transfer window, signing Noel Hunt and Matt Smith and agreeing a deal to send Steve Morison to Millwall on a season-long loan.
Ross McCormack looks increasingly likely to be used as an attacking midfielder next term but offers another proven alternative up front, leaving heavy competition for Poleon.
But McDermott said: “Dom looks like a player who can be effective for us this season and he will score goals. When he had that chance with his right foot (on Wednesday), you expected him to score. He’s got a great strike on him.
“It’s like everything, he’s a young player but if you were me would you let Dom Poleon go out on loan? Probably not.
“I had a good chat with him at the back end of last season and he’s taken what I said on board. He scored against Watford, he’s come back from the summer and he’s really grown up.
“I like him as a person and just look at his attributes – he hits the ball really well, he’s got fantastic pace so he’s right in contention.
“I’m looking at the strikers we’ve got, four of them, and they’re all fighting for places. They’ll work well together I think.”
The signings of Hunt and Smith gave McDermott a variety of resources in attack but other areas of his squad are still to be addressed. The Leeds boss is in the market for out-and-out wingers and is also expected to sign a new centre-back before the season starts.
Departures from Elland Road remain essential, however, with United seeking to control their wage bill.
All of Leeds’ senior players bar the injured El-Hadji Diouf and Ryan Hall, whose partner was expecting a baby this week, are in Slovenia on tour but McDermott intends to move several on in the weeks to come. He admitted that “nothing was imminent” with players leaving Elland Road and is also expecting to end the tour without completing any further signings.
But McDermott insisted he was relaxed about the state of his squad and talked once more about the satisfaction of taking Leeds into next season, four months after he was sacked by Reading.
The 52-year-old fuelled his popularity further on Wednesday night when he responded to chants of ‘It’s your round, Brian’ from around 200 Leeds supporters by passing a 50 Euro note into the crowd.
“For me, when I come to work every day I want everyone to enjoy themselves,” he said.
“There’s enough doom and gloom in the world and we’re privileged to be doing our jobs. I’m privileged to be managing this club. I want to enjoy every minute of it – especially after what happened to me in March.”
by Phil Hay
Dominic Poleon has been promised a place in Leeds United’s plans for next season after finding the net in the club’s first two summer friendlies.
United manager Brian McDermott ruled out the possibility of the striker departing on loan again with Poleon settling into a more prominent role at Elland Road.
The 19-year-old – an academy product originally recruited from Southend United – has been on the fringes of Leeds’ squad for the past 12 months but his chances of a serious breakthrough were restricted by loans at Bury and Sheffield United.
McDermott, however, threw him into the fray on the last day of the term at Watford and has used Poleon for 45 minutes in both of United’s pre-season matches against Farsley and a Slovenian select XI.
The forward followed up his effort at Throstle Nest with an eye-catching 20-yard strike in Murska Sobota on Wednesday evening.
Leeds have made major changes to their group of strikers during the transfer window, signing Noel Hunt and Matt Smith and agreeing a deal to send Steve Morison to Millwall on a season-long loan.
Ross McCormack looks increasingly likely to be used as an attacking midfielder next term but offers another proven alternative up front, leaving heavy competition for Poleon.
But McDermott said: “Dom looks like a player who can be effective for us this season and he will score goals. When he had that chance with his right foot (on Wednesday), you expected him to score. He’s got a great strike on him.
“It’s like everything, he’s a young player but if you were me would you let Dom Poleon go out on loan? Probably not.
“I had a good chat with him at the back end of last season and he’s taken what I said on board. He scored against Watford, he’s come back from the summer and he’s really grown up.
“I like him as a person and just look at his attributes – he hits the ball really well, he’s got fantastic pace so he’s right in contention.
“I’m looking at the strikers we’ve got, four of them, and they’re all fighting for places. They’ll work well together I think.”
The signings of Hunt and Smith gave McDermott a variety of resources in attack but other areas of his squad are still to be addressed. The Leeds boss is in the market for out-and-out wingers and is also expected to sign a new centre-back before the season starts.
Departures from Elland Road remain essential, however, with United seeking to control their wage bill.
All of Leeds’ senior players bar the injured El-Hadji Diouf and Ryan Hall, whose partner was expecting a baby this week, are in Slovenia on tour but McDermott intends to move several on in the weeks to come. He admitted that “nothing was imminent” with players leaving Elland Road and is also expecting to end the tour without completing any further signings.
But McDermott insisted he was relaxed about the state of his squad and talked once more about the satisfaction of taking Leeds into next season, four months after he was sacked by Reading.
The 52-year-old fuelled his popularity further on Wednesday night when he responded to chants of ‘It’s your round, Brian’ from around 200 Leeds supporters by passing a 50 Euro note into the crowd.
“For me, when I come to work every day I want everyone to enjoy themselves,” he said.
“There’s enough doom and gloom in the world and we’re privileged to be doing our jobs. I’m privileged to be managing this club. I want to enjoy every minute of it – especially after what happened to me in March.”