Leeds United prospect challenged to make change after difficult start to League One loan

Leeds United prospect Harry Gray has endured a challenging start to his loan spell with League One club Rotherham United.

The 17-year-old striker is rated as one of the brightest prospects to come through the Whites academy and he was handed the first loan spell of his career when he joined the Millers for the remainder of the season earlier this month. Gray made his debut in a 3-2 defeat at Stockport County within days of completing the move and was handed another start as Matt Hamshaw’s side battled to a 1-1 home draw with AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.

The Whites youngster played for 78 minutes and faced a tough task as his impact was hampered by experienced defensive duo Patrick Bauer and Ryan Johnson. Reflecting on his performance, Hamshaw admitted the game had been a learning curve for the striker and revealed what he felt Gray could have done to play a more influential role in the game.

Speaking about the substitutions of Sam Nombe, Kian Spence and Marvin Kaleta, the Millers boss told The Rotherham Advertiser: "It was just cramping up. Look, I'm having to manage people's minutes, and I think that was evident today. I'm starting them and them coming off is going to happen because they're one or two weeks off match fitness and sharpness.

"Sam had a good partner up there in Harry. I just felt that Harry was getting latched on to their centre-backs a bit much and should have come off them and not had that battle. He's not going to win that battle at 17. They're the bits that he'll learn. He came off the defenders and got in those pockets, then you just saw him fatigue a little bit at the end.”

What has Daniel Farke said about Harry Gray’s move to Rotherham United?

Speaking when the deal was completed, Whites boss Daniel Farke said: "With all respect, it's a different animal, senior football, in comparison to youth level. You work more or less with guys who are grown up, who are fathers, and where you have to show maturity. It's so good for the personality and especially for a young striker with so much potential like Harry. He has scored goals for fun at youth level. "It's a chance to show he is physically ready.

“Once you have then shown you are ready for this level, then you can speak about perhaps Championship. When you have delivered on this level, then you speak about Premier League. This is more or less a normal pathway and there is no way for shortcuts. You have to earn this step by step. At his age, it makes sense that it's not abroad or far down in the south," he says. "He still has a bit this surrounding of his family and his mother club.

"But on the other hand, he has to mature in a bit tough environment where he has to grow up and also (compete) physically. If he is ready for this challenge, then the next steps can follow. But for me, it's a perfect chance for him to mature and to get physically ready as a striker. We got the feeling it's a perfect scenario for him.”

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