Patrick Bamford relishing different Leeds United role and spells out next step for team mate

Reaching the level of consistent full games on a regular basis in addition to getting back amongst the goals are the current chief aims for the Whites striker.

Whether it’s too late for a World Cup place remains to be seen but the England international is back in business which is good news for the Whites no 9 and good news for Leeds.

Good news also for the club’s youngsters, with Bamford determined to help the club’s emerging young stars including an ace who the forward has challenged to now produce the goods for the first team.

Young Dutch winger Crysencio Summerville is the player in question, a youngster who again impressed for the under-21s in Friday night’s 6-2 beating of Southampton’s youngsters at Elland Road.

Plenty of others impressed too, not least Bamford who helped himself to a hat-trick as four Whites first-teamers used the fixture to gain minutes upon their recoveries from recent injuries.

Bamford was joined by Junior Firpo, Luke Ayling and Liam Cooper who is United’s ultimate leader as club captain.

But Bamford is very much part of United’s leadership group too and is relishing the different role of helping to develop the club’s youngsters, plenty of whom have impressed the Whites no 9.

Summerville was the most experienced of United’s youngsters to feature on Friday having already made 12 outings for the first team and Bamford says the next step for the skilful star is repeating his 21s brilliance in the first team.

With the likes of summer signings Willy Gnonto, Darko Gyabi and Sonny Perkins also excelling on Friday in addition to the likes of Archie Gray, Bamford says the future is undoubtedly bright though is keen to stress there is also plenty left to learn.

Bamford said to LUTV: “The future looks promising but then there's also the learning side of it as well.

“Because there's no way that we should have conceded two goals at the end (on Friday) so I think that there is a learning curve and I am sure they will have taken a lot away from the game."

Asked in particular about 20-year-old star Summerville, Bamford reasoned: “Obviously Cree, sometimes it's too easy for him.

"I know it sounds silly but he is a really good player and we have seen that in training all the time.

"I think the next step for him is showing it in the first team when he gets on on a Saturday

"And obviously you have got the young players like Darko, Wily who is obviously new who did really well and Sonny as well who is a good player and it was a great finish from him.”

Bamford knows all about great finishes and netted three goals of his own as part of a classy display that had under 21s boss Michael Skubala describing the striker as a Rolls Royce.

The 29-year-old striker is purring back to life after a 2021-22 campaign which was ravaged by injury issues, limiting the forward to just 560 minutes of Premier League football and only seven starts.

But the Whites no 9 lined up in both of this season's first two games and then recovered from a groin injury picked up in the home clash against Southampton to come on as a second-half substitute in the 5-2 loss at Brentford at the start of the month.

Bamford and Leeds will now have to wait until next month before their next assignment when Aston Villa visit Elland Road on the first Sunday of October which could also offer an opportunity to some of the club's young stars, backed by the guidance of stars such as Bamford.

Asked about the role of United’s older players - not quite veterans but the more experienced among them - Bamford smiled: "I hope I'm not a veteran yet!

"I try to help them as much as I can.

"I had a go at Darko on the pitch and I get on really well with him in the changing room and stuff.

"He took it well but I just told him, sometimes you have got to put your foot through it and tackle, put a tackle in.

"I think it's part of the learning curve for all of them.

"These games, obviously we come down to help them but hopefully we can show them what they need to do as well."

Reflecting on his own fitness and Friday night treble, the striker laughed: "My job is to score goals.

"I try and do it every game and it's always nice coming off with three.

"I feel good. It's just about getting the minutes and that consistency of game after game to get into the swing of things and get your body used to it again."