Video - Hull City v Leeds United: Versatile midfielder Forshaw targets top-flight return with Whites

ADAM FORSHAW is not alone in thinking that the downside of a transfer is the initiation ceremony that follows.
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In Spain last week, as Leeds United’s newest signing, he was subjected to a tradition that he and most players hate: singing for his supper to the rest of the squad.

Forshaw knew it was coming and he broke rank from the agreed schedule to take his turn on the first full day of Leeds’ training camp in Murcia. “It was ruining my week,” he joked. “We had set days for the new people, players and staff, to sing but on the second night after someone else sang I said ‘I’m getting mine out the way’. Then I could relax.

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“I’ve done it everywhere I’ve gone and you know you’ve got to do it. It’s terrible, it’s torture but it’s a minute-and-a-half of your life. You can get through it.”

In the past he has seen players pay fines as an alternative to singing and Forshaw recalled one who specifically asked for his contract to excuse him from the ritual. There is something amusing about sportsmen who thrive in front of crowds of thousands railing so strongly against a short public performance and the debut ahead of Forshaw tonight, away at Hull City, creates none of the same trepidation.

The 26-year-old is fit to play after recovering from the injury which kept him out of United’s last game, their epic 4-3 defeat to Millwall. As he finalised a £4.5m move from Middlesbrough a fortnight ago, his medical picked up a minor calf tear, the accidental result of a tackle by Ben Gibson while Forshaw was training with Boro. Leeds erred on the side of caution and he watched from the stands as the club’s game against Millwall swung back and forth.

“I was so excited when I signed and I was desperate to play but the right decision was made,” he said. “I had a slight tear in my calf and didn’t want to aggravate the injury and be out for another four to six weeks. The sensible thing was done. It was so intense and with those games, you sometimes see a lot more sat up in the stands but you wish you could be out there trying to help. I was gutted for the players and in the changing room afterwards, they were devastated. They deserved more out of it. That game had everything.”

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Millwall had it won at half-time, two goals to the good and helped by a red card shown to Leeds captain Liam Cooper, but lost their nerve and trailed 3-2 after 62 minutes. A final surge paid off, though, and Tom Elliott and Jed Wallace floored Christiansen’s players by scoring in the closing moments. The agony of it all was palpable.

Adam ForshawAdam Forshaw
Adam Forshaw

Forshaw, a Merseysider, admired the deafening atmosphere in the second half – “I used to go and watch Liverpool as a kid and that was as good as anything” – and warmed to the attitude of the players he was linking up with. “That second-half performance, if you show that fight and desire and commitment then you’ll go a long way,” he said.

For Leeds, his arrival was an opportunistic signing; an approach made quickly after it became apparent that Boro were willing to let Forshaw leave and Cardiff City were well down the line of negotiations. United did not plan to recruit a central midfielder this month but saw Forshaw was a signature worth claiming and began to find themselves short in his position with Eunan O’Kane and Kalvin Phillips banned. Alongside Cooper and Samuel Saiz, no fewer than four Leeds players are suspended this evening.

Forshaw won promotion from the Championship with Boro in 2016 and tasted relegation from the Premier League last season. He has twiced appeared in, and lost, play-off finals and he has seen more of the English game than most at Elland Road. From his point of view, the glut of midfielders at Boro was depriving him of any continuity.

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“I wouldn’t say I’m an old head, I’m only 26,” he said, “but in my career so far I’ve had a couple of play-off final losses, I’ve been promoted a couple of times and unfortunately seen a relegation so I’ve got a bit of experience in that respect.

Eunan O'KaneEunan O'Kane
Eunan O'Kane

“By no means did I leave (Middlesbrough) on bad terms but we had six central midfield players for two positions and it was almost a little unhealthy, I think. There was a lot of rotation. You’d play a couple of games, then you were out, and no-one really kept their position. I’m at an age where I want to be playing as much as possible.”

His last appearance came in early December, during Boro’s 2-0 win over Ipswich Town. He resumed full training in Murcia towards the end of last week and is expected to start at Hull as Leeds try to amend a run of four league games without a win. Their form has done meaningful damage to the table, dropping United five points behind the Championship’s last play-off place. “It’s well within our grasp,” Forshaw insisted. “I’ve come here to get promoted back to the Premier League. I had a taste of it last year, loved it and was living the dream. If I can reiterate that to the lads here – that it’s the place to be – then hopefully we can all strive for the same thing. We’re well in with a shout.

“I haven’t played since the second week of December and I haven’t trained a lot with the injury but I’d like to think I’m pretty fit anyway and once the adrenaline starts running, I’ll be ready to go. I’ve trained in the last few sessions and go through them really well.”

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Christiansen will look to Forshaw to establish some rhythm with his passing and form a reliable link between his defence and his attacking four. Leeds are under pressure to turn the corner quickly and Forshaw said tonight’s game, against a side in 21st, was a must-win fixture. “Definitely,” he said. “They’re there to be taken, the points.

Kalvin PhillipsKalvin Phillips
Kalvin Phillips

“Everyone’s aware that they (Hull) aren’t having the best time themselves so it’s a great opportunity for us to go there and get three points, impose ourselves from the first minute and put on a good show.

“We can stamp our authority there.”