Manager's glowing verdict of Leeds United loanee Joe Gelhardt after bittersweet first Hull City start

Leeds United loanee Joe Gelhardt got off to a strong start with new club Hull City, although his well-taken goal was not enough to prevent defeat against Queens Park Rangers.

Gelhardt joined Championship strugglers Hull on a six-month loan last week and after a 27-minute introduction off the bench at Millwall on Saturday, the forward was handed a first league start since August 2023 in front of a home crowd. A tight game swung QPR’s way after the hour mark, with two goals in 14 minutes from Kenneth Paal and Koki Saito stunning the Tigers.

On-loan Leeds man Gelhardt was deployed on the right of a three behind striker Joao Pedro and got his first Hull goal on 84 minutes, in typical fashion. The 22-year-old muscled a QPR defender out the way before looping a wonderful left-footed volley over Paul Nardi and in off the crossbar.

Selles on Gelhardt

Gelhardt was offered little chance to celebrate his first league goal as Hull looked to nick an equaliser, which unfortunately never arrived. But after a tough 18-month period in which chances were so rare at Leeds, the young forward will be happy to get off the mark and impressed new manager Ruben Selles.

"I think it is always difficult to come to a new club and try and perform immediately,” Selles told the Yorkshire Post of his goalscoring signing. “I think he did it and looked like a player who has been playing for us for a couple of months I’ve been here. I think he has a lot of improvements (to come) in his game, but he was as good as the team.

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"I’m not disappointed with the performance of the team, I think the team was competitive, but I was disappointed with the way we conceded two goals and the way we didn’t take our chances. It was an even, equal game against a good opponent."

Strong start for Leeds loanee

Gelhardt will feel bittersweet to have scored his first goal in a defeat, but he did more than enough to make a positive impression on Hull fans. The on-loan Leeds man worked hard and looked sharp, combining well down the right with former Whites teammate Cody Drameh.

But as important as any level of performance was the fact he got 90 minutes under his belt, with Selles opting to make attacking changes elsewhere - a sign of early trust. Not since May 2023 has Gelhardt completed a full match and that will be a massive boost for a player who left West Yorkshire to play regularly.

“I’ve spoken to the manager about the plans and direction the club is going in and I can’t wait to get started and get playing,” Gelhardt said upon joining Hull last week. “My best positions are striker or just behind the striker, trying to help assist and score goals for the team and trying to win games.

“Every footballer wants to train hard all week and get rewarded with playing on the weekend. That hasn’t happened for me in the last few years so I’m really excited to get playing again and get that matchday feeling back.”