Charlton Athletic v Leeds United: Patient Pugh may finally get a chance
YEP 8/11/13
by Phil Hay
For the first time in exactly a year this week, Danny Pugh found himself vying to start a league game for Leeds United.
Transfer-listed 18 months ago and almost invisible since then, there were points in that period where Pugh was waiting for nothing more than his cue to leave.
But to Brian McDermott he typifies the professionalism United’s manager likes to preach.
Pugh slipped back into the club’s matchday squad three weeks ago, with him and Michael Brown displacing Noel Hunt and Paul Green, and the absence of multiple left-backs at Leeds left McDermott to consider whether the 31-year-old might be his best option to fill that position at Charlton Athletic tomorrow.
McDermott finalised his line-up yesterday and would not confirm whether a minor selection crisis was destined to give Pugh his chance – or instead lead to a complete rethink of United’s formation – but he held up the versatile defender as an example to others in his camp.
“It’s a crazy thing to say that he’s not been in my plans,” McDermott said. “I try not to look at people like that.
“You have to say that Danny’s a credit. Every day he comes in and he works hard.
“He’s completely professional, he does things right and any younger player watching him will see how you do it right.
“People talk a lot about team spirit but you can tell how good team spirit is by your subs and the players in the stands – how they celebrate goals and what it means to them.
“You try and produce camaraderie and he’s going in the same direction as all of us. He’s trained and he’s an option.”
Pugh is not the only option but McDermott’s alternatives to Stephen Warnock on the left side of defence are far from vast.
Warnock has received an injection in a foot injury and will not play in London tomorrow. Aidan White and Charlie Taylor are on loan to lower-league clubs and Adam Drury’s return from a calf strain appears to have given McDermott a straight choice between him and Pugh, unless the Leeds boss has something up his sleeve.
The former Manchester United and Stoke City’s most recent appearance for United’s first team came last November when he appeared as a substitute in a 1-0 defeat at Burnley.
He was partly culpable for the decisive goal and was overlooked by then manager Neil Warnock in the weeks that followed. Sheffield Wednesday signed him on loan in January.
Wednesday were expected to pursue Pugh’s signature again in the summer and Leeds had no intention of resisting meaningful approaches for one of their higher earners but he remained at Elland Road beyond the end of the transfer window and has entered the last year of his contract.
McDermott said: “I’ve made this point before – whatever happens, at the end of the month the boys here get paid. It’s a great way of earning a living.
“I know everyone wants to play and not everyone can.
“But you can be part of what we’re trying to do.
“I speak to Danny regularly and it’s a difficult conversation sometimes. But I do it anyway. I say to him ‘you have to do what you’re doing and keep on doing it.’
“If anyone came in for Danny Pugh I’d have nothing but a glowing reference for him. I’d say that’s what you want from your manager.”
by Phil Hay
For the first time in exactly a year this week, Danny Pugh found himself vying to start a league game for Leeds United.
Transfer-listed 18 months ago and almost invisible since then, there were points in that period where Pugh was waiting for nothing more than his cue to leave.
But to Brian McDermott he typifies the professionalism United’s manager likes to preach.
Pugh slipped back into the club’s matchday squad three weeks ago, with him and Michael Brown displacing Noel Hunt and Paul Green, and the absence of multiple left-backs at Leeds left McDermott to consider whether the 31-year-old might be his best option to fill that position at Charlton Athletic tomorrow.
McDermott finalised his line-up yesterday and would not confirm whether a minor selection crisis was destined to give Pugh his chance – or instead lead to a complete rethink of United’s formation – but he held up the versatile defender as an example to others in his camp.
“It’s a crazy thing to say that he’s not been in my plans,” McDermott said. “I try not to look at people like that.
“You have to say that Danny’s a credit. Every day he comes in and he works hard.
“He’s completely professional, he does things right and any younger player watching him will see how you do it right.
“People talk a lot about team spirit but you can tell how good team spirit is by your subs and the players in the stands – how they celebrate goals and what it means to them.
“You try and produce camaraderie and he’s going in the same direction as all of us. He’s trained and he’s an option.”
Pugh is not the only option but McDermott’s alternatives to Stephen Warnock on the left side of defence are far from vast.
Warnock has received an injection in a foot injury and will not play in London tomorrow. Aidan White and Charlie Taylor are on loan to lower-league clubs and Adam Drury’s return from a calf strain appears to have given McDermott a straight choice between him and Pugh, unless the Leeds boss has something up his sleeve.
The former Manchester United and Stoke City’s most recent appearance for United’s first team came last November when he appeared as a substitute in a 1-0 defeat at Burnley.
He was partly culpable for the decisive goal and was overlooked by then manager Neil Warnock in the weeks that followed. Sheffield Wednesday signed him on loan in January.
Wednesday were expected to pursue Pugh’s signature again in the summer and Leeds had no intention of resisting meaningful approaches for one of their higher earners but he remained at Elland Road beyond the end of the transfer window and has entered the last year of his contract.
McDermott said: “I’ve made this point before – whatever happens, at the end of the month the boys here get paid. It’s a great way of earning a living.
“I know everyone wants to play and not everyone can.
“But you can be part of what we’re trying to do.
“I speak to Danny regularly and it’s a difficult conversation sometimes. But I do it anyway. I say to him ‘you have to do what you’re doing and keep on doing it.’
“If anyone came in for Danny Pugh I’d have nothing but a glowing reference for him. I’d say that’s what you want from your manager.”