Leeds captain Liam Cooper on his mentoring role with Whites youngsters
Leeds United skipper Liam Cooper may only be 30 years of age, but he is already playing with players almost half his age.
The injury crisis that has struck Elland Road this season has seen manager Marcelo Bielsa give opportunities to many of the club’s Under-23 players including Joe Gelhardt who has racked up half a dozen Premier League appearances already.
Cooper has had to become a coach of his own as the youngsters have been bled into the first team squad with 20-year-old Cody Drameh one defender who has been thrown into the professional arena already this season with more likely to be leaned upon.
“You’ve just got to fill them with confidence,” he told The Yorkshire Evening Post.
“They’re training with us for a reason and that reason is they’ve been shining and showing how good they are. Everyone knows if you’re good enough to come and train with us and you keep improving, keep taking on what you’ve been coached, you’ll be given a chance in the first team.”
Bare Bones
The defensive issues have been going on all season with anyone who is remotely fit being forced into playing to ensure games could be played.
And the problems are no better further up field with strikers Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo both missing considerable portions of the season, meaning Bielsa has been forced to play Gelhardt in games he wouldn’t usually.
One positive of the ongoing crisis is how Gelhardt in particular has applied himself in these past six games where he scored his first senior goal away at Chelsea in a 3-2 defeat.
Other teenagers Liam McCarron, Crysencio Summerville and Sam Greenwood were all brought on as substitutes against Arsenal in Leeds’ previous game.
Greenwood has been the subject of speculation regarding a potential loan move to Swansea City in the Championship but if the injury problems continue, Bielsa simply won’t be able to afford anyone to leave unless reinforcements are brought in first.
In other Leeds news, Phil Hay has revealed details of a potential exit from Elland Road.