Leeds United veteran heaps praise on young leader defying age in Premier League role
Praise for Leeds United captain Ethan Ampadu who is defyinbg his age with his leadership
Age is proving no barrier to leadership for Leeds United captain Ethan Ampadu according to one of his older team-mates.
Karl Darlow turns 35 today [October 8] and has seen a lot in his time as a Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Leeds, Hull City, Walsall and Newport County keeper. But Ampadu, a decade the goalkeeper's junior, has already experienced his fair share of ups and downs.
He's had relegations, a famous Elland Road promotion, 56 caps worth of international football and stints with clubs in Germany and Italy. Ampadu only boasts 25 fewer Premier League appearances than Darlow, who took the chance to heap praise on his club skipper and Wales team-mate this week ahead of a clash with England.
"He's brilliant, amazing," said Darlow. "He's obviously very young for the role at Leeds, but he deals with it by leading on the pitch with performances and professionalism day in and day out. Obviously he's a very likeable guy who everyone around the changing room respects and gets on with. He's had a real part to play, especially last season in terms of the promotion. I can't speak highly enough of him. He's had a few camps that he's missed but he's a big part of what we want to do. Delighted to have him back."
Like Exeter-born Ampadu, Darlow qualifies for Wales through family. His grandfather, Ken Leek, was an international for Wales. And the stopper has echoed Ampadu's insistence that despite their accents, there is no confusion over their identity, even this week as they prepare to face the country of their birth.
"I'm fully committed to Wales and being Welsh," said Darlow. "I'm going to give everything for this country to make sure that we come up with a positive result on Thursday. The England connection is no longer."
MORE: 6 signings Leeds United could make and 4 players that could depart during January transfer window
Beyond Thursday's friendly lies an even bigger game for the Welsh, a home World Cup qualifier against Belgium on Monday night. Wales sit third in Group J level on points with second-placed Belgium and just a point behind leaders North Macedonia. Belgium have a game in hand so a victory for Wales would be a huge shot in the arm for their qualification hopes. Darlow is adamant the squad can give both games their full focus over the next week.
"Coming into camp we know that we've got two massive games and we're going to give the same respect to both teams," he said. "We're fully concentrated on the England game first. Once that's done, then we're on to Belgium. That World Cup qualifier is massive for us at this stage, so within the group we all know the concentration needed. We have to go full blooded into both of them. The manager demands that."
Your next Leeds United read: Leeds United kit designer launches new brand with hopes of club and cult following