Aston Villa Out-on-loan Star ‘Knew’ About Positional Change Plan Admits Boss | OneFootball

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Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom has revealed that Aston Villa loan star Lewis Dobbin was aware of the intention to change his position before he joined the Lilywhites and added that the attacker’s performances have pleased him.

Early in the summer transfer window, Heckingbottom’s side agreed a season-long loan with Aston Villa to sign the 22-year-old winger.

Dobbin is having a brilliant season with Preston and he has impressed Heckingbottom, who feels he is an explosive player.

Despite being a winger by nature, the Preston boss has used Dobbin as a centre forward in the majority of the games and the 22-year-old has so far racked up four goals and five assists in 15 outings.

Heckingbottom pointed out that the Aston Villa loanee is having the best season of his career so far and revealed that Dobbin was aware of the plan to play him in a different role before he joined Preston.

He admitted that Dobbin’s performances so far have pleased him and hailed the Aston Villa loanee for his hard work and the energy he puts into every game.

“We are not halfway [into the season] and it is his best return yet at the first team level in the season, which is good”, Heckingbottom told Preston’s media (2:12).

“Obviously we have changed his role quite a bit, but Dobbo knew we were thinking about that when we spoke to him at the end of last season.

“I know he can play wide and we still use him there on occasion, but being central with Lewis’ qualities, we should expect more goals and assists from when he was playing wide, definitely.

“When he is wide, it is a different type of contribution he brings. 

“I am really pleased with him and want him to be better and he wants to be better.

“The main thing is, and I say this all the time, that he works hard for the team and he enjoys using his energy and reactions and intensity to get after the ball, which is how you want to play.”

Preston sit a lofty fifth in the Championship table and there is growing talk that Heckingbottom’s men could well be promotion contenders.

It is a far cry from last season, when they finished 20th and went into the final matchday at risk of relegation.