Said It To His Face – Charlton Star Comparison Made By Leyton Orient Boss | OneFootball

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens has revealed that new boy Dom Ballard reminds him of Charlie Kelman, who joined Charlton Athletic in the summer transfer window.

The American forward had a fantastic year in League One with Leyton Orient, playing on loan from Championship side QPR.

His performances saw him dubbed League One’s most in-form striker at one point.

Charlton, on their return to the Championship, splashed a significant £3.5m to bring in the 23-year-old, who won the League One Golden Boot last term under Wellens.

The O’s signed 20-year-old Ballard from Southampton on a six-figure deal and he signed a three-year contract with the League One side.

Wellens has revealed that the former Saints striker reminds him of Charlton new boy Kelman, when it comes to pace and the ability to finish.

The Leyton Orient boss believes that Ballard has a very high ceiling and predicted he will play at a much higher level if he can keep doing what he is doing; that could benefit Southampton nicely as they have a sell-on clause.

“I have said this actually to his face, I won’t say he’d be embarrassed about me saying it to you”, Wellens told Orient TV (2:48) when he was asked about Ballard.

“He reminds me of Charlie Kelman, a lot – with his intensity, with his finish, with his movement.

“He is as quick as Charlie.

“I think he is a little clever at dropping into pockets and finding spaces; he is very reliable on the ball.

“He is a player who is obviously, for now, because he’s starting every week, and we have invested in him to impact the team now, but I think he has got a hell of a future.

“If he carries on, [he is a] real good kid; we needed his type of character to mix with the others.

“But no, really good lad, wants to learn, wants to improve and has got something about him, that, if he carries on that improvement and that intensity about his work, then he can play at a lot higher level.”

Kelman played more than 4,400 minutes last season for the League One side, scoring 27 goals and providing six assists; Ballard scored his first Leyton Orient goal earlier this month.

The Addicks new boy, though, is yet to show his League One form for Nathan Jones’ side, already featuring seven times for Charlton.

Whether Ballard will be able to hit Kelman’s heights at Leyton Orient this season remains to be seen.