Hopeful Mac says Leeds United is a natural home for Mowatt
YEP 25/11/13
Brian McDermott has revealed that Leeds United are close to agreeing a new contract with Alex Mowatt and says the young midfielder would be well advised to commit his future to the Elland Road club.
McDermott confirmed that advanced talks between Leeds and Mowatt were underway after the academy product returned from injury with another compelling performance in United’s 2-1 win over Middlesbrough.
Mowatt missed a recent victory at Charlton Athletic with a groin strain and was forced to pull out of England’s Under-19 squad for a friendly in Hungary but McDermott recalled him in place of Michael Brown on Saturday and watched the 18-year-old exert his influence again.
McDermott talked last month about the importance of improving Mowatt’s terms amid an increasing level of interest in his talent among Premier League clubs, and Leeds appear to be on the verge of tying him to a longer, more lucrative contract.
“We’re in the position where we’re talking to him about a new contract,” McDermott said.
“Hopefully we can get that done and dusted soon. We think we’re close and why would Alex want to play anywhere else? He’s got to play at Leeds United. All of the younger players coming through to our first team are getting better and better.”
Mowatt twice came close to his first Leeds goal in the second half of Saturday’s match, denied on both occasions by replacement goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler who took to the field after Boro’s Jason Steele was shown a red card for a professional foul.
Leutwiler’s saves forced McDermott to endure an anxious finish as United held on to a 2-1 lead during the last half-hour of an eventful contest.
Steele’s 42nd-minute dismissal for a crunching challenge on Dexter Blackstock outside the box came as Boro trailed to an earlier strike from Ross McCormack. The visitors snatched an equaliser on 52 minutes with a fine goal created by Albert Adomah and scored by Mustapha Carayol but Jason Pearce’s header five minutes later gave Leeds the points in front of a crowd of more than 30,000.
McDermott said: “In the first half we played some good stuff and I thought we might have nicked more than one goal. But the second half was tough.
“At half-time I said that what we didn’t want in the second half was a slow game but it developed into a slow game. Sometimes you’re better off against 11 men. We found that against Bournemouth last month when we had to win the game late on.
“But you’ve got to admire the character of the players to get themselves in front again at 2-1. And if you look at it, Middlesbrough scored a good goal and had a couple of chances. We had a lot of good opportunities.”
McCormack – a prime transfer target for Boro in the summer – took his tally of goals for the season to 13 with an opportunistic header after 34 minutes.
The Scotland international was involved in a light-hearted exchange with Boro’s travelling crowd after drawing first blood but McDermott denied that his leading goalscorer had taken extra satisfaction from scoring against a club who fought hard to sign him.
“I don’t think that was relevant,” McDermott said. “It could have been any club coming in for him.
“He was just very strong in his resolve to stay here. You have to give the board credit for that. They kept him and turned down a decent amount of money.”
Brian McDermott has revealed that Leeds United are close to agreeing a new contract with Alex Mowatt and says the young midfielder would be well advised to commit his future to the Elland Road club.
McDermott confirmed that advanced talks between Leeds and Mowatt were underway after the academy product returned from injury with another compelling performance in United’s 2-1 win over Middlesbrough.
Mowatt missed a recent victory at Charlton Athletic with a groin strain and was forced to pull out of England’s Under-19 squad for a friendly in Hungary but McDermott recalled him in place of Michael Brown on Saturday and watched the 18-year-old exert his influence again.
McDermott talked last month about the importance of improving Mowatt’s terms amid an increasing level of interest in his talent among Premier League clubs, and Leeds appear to be on the verge of tying him to a longer, more lucrative contract.
“We’re in the position where we’re talking to him about a new contract,” McDermott said.
“Hopefully we can get that done and dusted soon. We think we’re close and why would Alex want to play anywhere else? He’s got to play at Leeds United. All of the younger players coming through to our first team are getting better and better.”
Mowatt twice came close to his first Leeds goal in the second half of Saturday’s match, denied on both occasions by replacement goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler who took to the field after Boro’s Jason Steele was shown a red card for a professional foul.
Leutwiler’s saves forced McDermott to endure an anxious finish as United held on to a 2-1 lead during the last half-hour of an eventful contest.
Steele’s 42nd-minute dismissal for a crunching challenge on Dexter Blackstock outside the box came as Boro trailed to an earlier strike from Ross McCormack. The visitors snatched an equaliser on 52 minutes with a fine goal created by Albert Adomah and scored by Mustapha Carayol but Jason Pearce’s header five minutes later gave Leeds the points in front of a crowd of more than 30,000.
McDermott said: “In the first half we played some good stuff and I thought we might have nicked more than one goal. But the second half was tough.
“At half-time I said that what we didn’t want in the second half was a slow game but it developed into a slow game. Sometimes you’re better off against 11 men. We found that against Bournemouth last month when we had to win the game late on.
“But you’ve got to admire the character of the players to get themselves in front again at 2-1. And if you look at it, Middlesbrough scored a good goal and had a couple of chances. We had a lot of good opportunities.”
McCormack – a prime transfer target for Boro in the summer – took his tally of goals for the season to 13 with an opportunistic header after 34 minutes.
The Scotland international was involved in a light-hearted exchange with Boro’s travelling crowd after drawing first blood but McDermott denied that his leading goalscorer had taken extra satisfaction from scoring against a club who fought hard to sign him.
“I don’t think that was relevant,” McDermott said. “It could have been any club coming in for him.
“He was just very strong in his resolve to stay here. You have to give the board credit for that. They kept him and turned down a decent amount of money.”
