Wednesday 8 October 2014 15:43, UK
Promising midfielder Chris Dawson appreciates that he may have to leave Leeds United on loan in order to get game time.
A product of the Elland Road academy system, Dawson was handed his senior debut in April 2013 but is yet to earn a regular run in the side.
He is eager to prove his worth, allowing him to follow in the footsteps of Alex Mowatt, Lewis Cook and Sam Byram.
In the spell that I had, if it had gone on any longer, he would have been in my thinking and I would have got him involved.
Dawson is, however, aware that a spell away from Leeds may make it easier for him to catch the eye of new boss Darko Milanic – with minutes needed at this stage of his development.
The youngster, who skippered Neil Redfearn’s U21 side during a 6-0 Premier League Cup mauling of Doncaster Rovers on Monday, said in the Yorkshire Evening Post: “If I can’t get first team football here and am not considered, I’d have no choice but to try to impress elsewhere and hopefully come back and play in the first team here.
“He (Redfearn) has been massive and helped out a lot so far in my career and has always got encouraging words to say and I am ready to push on a bit further now and hopefully get first team football.
“If it is not here, then hopefully on loan for a month. I think it needs to be the next step now for my career.”
Dawson added: “It can be frustrating as in the (past) year, I have been overlooked a little bit. It makes me work harder in training and outside of training in going to the gym and working hard to try and get ahead of other people there already.
“I have been going to the gym most nights to try and bulk up a bit as I obviously got a bit of stick for that after my debut.
“I am very pleased with my form. It is definitely getting better every game and hopefully I can keep pushing on now and we will see where it takes me.”
Dawson’s situation could have been different had Redfearn, who impressed while in temporary charge of first team affairs prior to Milanic’s appointment, inherited the reins on a permanent basis.
He said: “He can play in behind the front or on the right of midfield and played a proper captain’s role. I thought he was aggressive when he was chasing and batting back. He’s got a big future.
“In the spell that I had, if it had gone on any longer, he would have been in my thinking and I would have got him involved.
“For me, I think he is an immense talent.
“It was just a case of waiting for the right opportunity to put him in. Obviously Cook and Mowatt have gone in there and done well, while Byram is back at it and (Charlie) Taylor won’t be long before he is fit. You are talking about a lot of top young players and Dawson is one of those.”
