Jonny Howson reveals what has made transition from Middlesbrough stalwart to Leeds United player-coach easier — Yorkshire Post 27/3/26
By Tom Coates
Former Middlesbrough stalwart Jonny Howson believes the
attitude of Leeds United’s youngsters has aided his career transition.
After 340 appearances over an eight-year period, Howson left
Middlesbrough upon the expiry of his contract last summer.
Instead of bouncing back into senior football, the
midfielder returned to boyhood club Leeds to take on a player-coach role in
their under-21s set-up.
He has since made 16 appearances across Premier League 2,
the Premier League International Cup and the National League Cup.
Jonny Howson on career transition
In an interview with Leeds’ official website, the
37-year-old lifted the lid on his step into the world of coaching.
He said: “I understand when I am on the pitch, playing with
them and understanding the game – whether the different situations impact it
and how they deal with it.
“Technically, are they showing for the ball? Have they got
that hunger wanting to make an impact on the game? Things like that. So, I
think when you are actually playing and you are involved, you see stuff that
you don’t see from the sidelines. I will see maybe subtle things of whether
that is people talking to me, whether that is information I am giving on the
pitch and them taking it onboard.
“You see it because you are in the thick of the action. How
quickly can people react to certain situations, maybe from what I have told
them? The lads have been brilliant. I must say, irrespective of different
levels of ability, it is great to work with them because their attitude and
application has made my transition of stopping playing first-team football so
much easier.”
Howson was renowned for his leadership skills in senior
football, even when he was a young prospect cutting his teeth at Leeds.
His exploits with the Whites propelled him into the Premier
League with Norwich City, who he represented for five-and-a-half years before
joining Middlesbrough.
For those who saw a lot of Howson in action, it is not
particularly surprising that he is going down the coaching route.
He said: “It is obviously great to be alongside Scott
[Gardner, Under-21s head coach] and Puj (Michal Pujdak, Under-21s coach), get
their take on what they are looking at during the games going on, what they are
maybe looking out for and letting me give my thoughts.
“I am older in footballing terms with regards to playing. I
am fine with that. I can’t do anything about that. But we are playing Under-21s
football so whether you are 16 or 37 in my case, you have got to be able to
cope with the demands because football is a harsh environment.
“To make the next step forward, it is cutthroat irrespective
of the level whether you are going into the National League or the Premier
League. You won’t be judged on whether you are 16 or whether you are 37. You
will be judged on if you can do the job. Either you can or you can’t. It sounds
really harsh but we are in a harsh environment.”
