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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
According to The Yorkshire Evening Post, one of Leeds United striker Ryan Edmondson’s former mentors Steve Torpey believes that the teenager needs to be playing men’s football this season, but he may not get what he wants.
What did he say?
The 48-year-old was the coach who moved Edmondson from the U16s to the U18s at former club York City because of his size and ability, and his performances attracted the interest of their fellow Yorkshire outfit.
The 18-year-old has made two first-team appearances for the Whites – both from the substitutes’ bench – but is yet to make his first start, although he has played a part in their pre-season preparations following his exploits for the U23s last term., scoring a hat-trick in the 5-1 win against Tadcaster Albion.
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Speaking to The Yorkshire Evening Post, Torpey said: “He’s at that age where he needs to sample men’s football and if that’s at Leeds, brilliant.
“If the manager sees him of that calibre and he can be in and around the first team, fantastic.
“But I think he probably needs, in my humble opinion, to go and play senior football.
“With the 23s, where he’s scored lots of goals and done really well, is it the same as playing senior football in the League or even at the Conference level? Probably not, especially with the physicality he’s going to come across in the Championship.”
Torpey’s wish might not come true
Basically the former Football League journeyman either hopes that Edmondson will get his chance at Leeds or will get it elsewhere if first-team opportunities are hard to come by, but as things stand it appears both of those scenarios are unlikely to happen.
The Whites have two senior striker options in Kemar Roofe and Patrick Bamford who look to be above the youngster in the pecking order right now, but with the former out injured as the new campaign is set to get to underway, Marcelo Bielsa can’t afford to lose another centre-forward without another one arriving.
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That surely means he is likely to remain at Elland Road past the deadline next week with Roofe and Bamford having their fair share of injury issues during the previous season as well, but it still isn’t a guarantee that he will get the football he needs with the Yorkshire club.
Once Roofe is back you would expect him to be the third or fourth-choice option up top again, and in that case he may have to do with odd minutes here and there with the majority of his playing time once again coming for the U23s.
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