Post by Taxigirl on Jan 6, 2006 8:51:50 GMT
www.leedsunited.com
United defender Matthew Kilgallon's outstanding performances in the last few games have not gone un-noticed by manager Kevin Blackwell.
The York-born centre-half has been an instrumental figure as Leeds added 12 points from four games over Christmas, three of them with a clean sheet, and his confidence is beginning to really show alongside Skipper Paul Butler.
Kilgallon didn't really get his chance until Butler was forced to serve a one match suspension against Watford, and he came in alongside Gregan at the back as the Whites battled out a 0-0 draw.
Despite the clean sheet, Blackwell stuck with Butler and Gregan together for the visit of Southampton the following game but with the Saints striker Theo Walcott causing the back four no end of problems with his pace, he came on for Gregan and managed to shackle the teenager.
His reward was to start in the derby against Sheffield United and he has kept his place in the side since.
Blackwell has praised the England under-21 international for his hard work in winning a place in the side in the first place, and then making sure he held onto it.
"Matthew is starting to really show the qualities of a strong centre-half," said the United boss.
"People have questioned his aerial ability but he has been immense in that capacity for us recently. He has been solid and he keeps working harder in every game.
"At the beginning of the season he possibly thought that when we saw Clarke Carlisle and Michael Duberry depart that he would be an automatic choice, but he didn't do enough in my eyes to get into the team and so the challenge was laid down to him and he worked really hard to get in.
"Now he's in the team he realises that he can't rest on his laurels because he knows Sean Gregan or whoever else can come in and take his shirt."
Although he made his United debut at just 19, the youngster has spent much of the past three seasons in and then out of the side, much of it out of position, and at times prone to the odd major error - but all that now appears to be in the past.
"Some kids develop at at such a rate that it puts them head and shoulders above everybody else at the same age, and because of that they are offered an opportunity in the first team and things change very quickly. All of a sudden he makes a mistake and his confidence goes and he's fighting that barrier of getting up and coming down.
"We don't see that with him now and that shows he's maturing, and he's had to do it quickly because if I didn't think he was good enough then he wouldn't be playing."
Blackwell insists that there are more players at the club who, like Kilgallon, have the ability to come in and keep hold of their place in the side and it's the quality of the squad that keeps everyone on their toes.
"We are starting to see now that players realise the shirt is not nailed on and it doesn't matter who it is.
"If someone comes in and does well they are going to keep their place. I have told the players that if they're doing the job they're in, if they're not then they're out.
"People keep saying we've got a big squad, but we've not, we've only got 20 players but they are 20 good players and if someone drops out whoever comes in has the capability to keep the shirt and that's the fear of a player in the side right now and that's what we want."
United defender Matthew Kilgallon's outstanding performances in the last few games have not gone un-noticed by manager Kevin Blackwell.
The York-born centre-half has been an instrumental figure as Leeds added 12 points from four games over Christmas, three of them with a clean sheet, and his confidence is beginning to really show alongside Skipper Paul Butler.
Kilgallon didn't really get his chance until Butler was forced to serve a one match suspension against Watford, and he came in alongside Gregan at the back as the Whites battled out a 0-0 draw.
Despite the clean sheet, Blackwell stuck with Butler and Gregan together for the visit of Southampton the following game but with the Saints striker Theo Walcott causing the back four no end of problems with his pace, he came on for Gregan and managed to shackle the teenager.
His reward was to start in the derby against Sheffield United and he has kept his place in the side since.
Blackwell has praised the England under-21 international for his hard work in winning a place in the side in the first place, and then making sure he held onto it.
"Matthew is starting to really show the qualities of a strong centre-half," said the United boss.
"People have questioned his aerial ability but he has been immense in that capacity for us recently. He has been solid and he keeps working harder in every game.
"At the beginning of the season he possibly thought that when we saw Clarke Carlisle and Michael Duberry depart that he would be an automatic choice, but he didn't do enough in my eyes to get into the team and so the challenge was laid down to him and he worked really hard to get in.
"Now he's in the team he realises that he can't rest on his laurels because he knows Sean Gregan or whoever else can come in and take his shirt."
Although he made his United debut at just 19, the youngster has spent much of the past three seasons in and then out of the side, much of it out of position, and at times prone to the odd major error - but all that now appears to be in the past.
"Some kids develop at at such a rate that it puts them head and shoulders above everybody else at the same age, and because of that they are offered an opportunity in the first team and things change very quickly. All of a sudden he makes a mistake and his confidence goes and he's fighting that barrier of getting up and coming down.
"We don't see that with him now and that shows he's maturing, and he's had to do it quickly because if I didn't think he was good enough then he wouldn't be playing."
Blackwell insists that there are more players at the club who, like Kilgallon, have the ability to come in and keep hold of their place in the side and it's the quality of the squad that keeps everyone on their toes.
"We are starting to see now that players realise the shirt is not nailed on and it doesn't matter who it is.
"If someone comes in and does well they are going to keep their place. I have told the players that if they're doing the job they're in, if they're not then they're out.
"People keep saying we've got a big squad, but we've not, we've only got 20 players but they are 20 good players and if someone drops out whoever comes in has the capability to keep the shirt and that's the fear of a player in the side right now and that's what we want."