Leeds United Talent Given ‘More Often’ Demand By U21s Boss | OneFootball

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Leeds United Under-21s boss Scott Gardner has admitted that he wants to see teenager Ollie Pickles score regularly, dubbing the midfielder the best player on Wednesday night against Gateshead.

The young Whites were in National League Cup action, having won the newly revived competition last year, and one Leeds prospect stressed that playing against senior teams instilled the street mentality in them.

In this season, however, they are not progressing to the knockout rounds of the competition, as they won two and lost two of their four games in the group stage.

On Wednesday night, they travelled to Gateshead International Stadium and beat the National League side by a resounding 3-0 scoreline.

Midfielder Pickles, 18, scored a brace, with Jacob Render scoring the other goal to wrap up their National League Cup for this term.

The young Whites boss stressed that Pickles is showing promise in his growth, as he made it clear that the teenager was the best player on the pitch on Wednesday.

He did not score before the Gateshead game and the Leeds Under-21s boss insisted that he wants to see Pickles score more often.

“I thought he was our best player on the night”, Gardner told Leeds’ official site about Pickles.

“He is developing well and deserved those two goals.

“I want to see him do that more often.”

Forward Marley Wilson, 20, played 63 minutes against Gateshead after he came back from injury and Gardner has given him credit for working hard to come back from injury.

“I give credit to him and the work he has put in.

“I actually thought he probably could have played a little longer, but we want to be patient with him”, Gardner added.

Pickles is considered a top talent in the Whites academy, and last month, he stressed that there is no better place than the Leeds academy to grow up in.

Gardner’s young Leeds will have some rest now, as their next game is against Borussia Dortmund Under-21s next month, in the Premier League International Cup.