19-year-old Leeds midfielder Jamie Shackleton admits that he has learned “massively” from manager Marcelo Bielsa and grown as a player after playing at right-back this season.
The youngster, who normally plied his trade in midfield, has learned the ropes of his new position, despite admitting that he could never see himself playing there.
Talking on the latest episode of the Talking Shutt podcast, Shackleton was asked if he had learned from Bielsa since the arrival of the new manager in the summer.
“Massively,” Shackleton replied. “He’s obviously the first manager I’ve worked under full time but I’ve learned an awful lot from him.
“The position change, like you said, I’ve had to learn a lot in a short space of time. I’d never played that position, never thought about it, didn’t think it was something that suited me.
“I played on the wing but never as full-back. Bielsa has come in and taught me the movements and I’ve learned a lot.”
OPINION
Many great players have been encouraged to switch positions by visionary managers – Thierry Henry at Arsenal is a good example. Good managers can see more about their players than the individuals know themselves, and Shackleton is a good case in point. His three Championship starts this season have come at right-back, despite his preferred position of central midfield, and many Leeds fans have liked what they’ve seen from the 19-year-old. So much so, in fact, that a lot of the Leeds supporters would like to see him come in for Luke Ayling at the moment, with the number one right-back under-performing. That’s not going to happen in the immediate future. Bielsa has given his support to Ayling and already named his starting line-up for the game against Swansea in the Championship on Wednesday night. However, under Bielsa you have to think that Shackleton has a very bright future in the right-back position.