Former Leeds star turned BBC pundit Noel Whelan has heaped praise on 19-year-old Jamie Shackleton, after he played a key part in the Under-23s winning the PDL National play-offs on Monday.
It’s been a brilliant season for the Under-23s and Whelan has claimed Shackleton has the skills to ensure he is “going to the very top” of the game.
Shackleton has also made the move up to the first-team this season, with 22 appearances under Bielsa, but he’s only had three starts in the Championship.
“I wish I had seen more of him during the season,” Whelan said to Football Insider.
“He is just as good as Jack Clarke, and might be better than Clarke.
“He is very direct, very fast, tenacious, a good passer of the ball and makes things happen. It’s nice to see Clarke and Shackleton regularly in the first-team squad, but fans would like to see more of Shackleton. He’s got a bit of everything and is going to the very top.”
OPINION
High praise for Shackleton from a pundit who spends a lot of time watching Leeds. Leeds fans have been raving about Shackleton this season too, and it’s somewhat of a surprise that he hasn’t played more for the first-team this season, especially with all the injury problems Bielsa has had. Shackleton was playing as a midfielder for the Under-23s but has been re-invented as a right-back by Bielsa and it looks like that could be his position going forward. There are plenty of talented Leeds youngsters coming through from the Under-23s at the moment and it will be fascinating to see whether some are pushed out on loan in the summer or whether Bielsa thinks they’re good enough for the first-team this season. Shackleton should be one who stays and gets a push in pre-season.