Patrick Bamford tackles 30-goal Leeds United striker search question and defends 'arrogant' Whites view
Patrick Bamford is not short of belief as Leeds head back to the Premier League.
Whites no 9 Patrick Bamford has tackled a 30-goal Leeds United striker search question with an “arrogant” answer but admission ahead of the club’s Premier League return.
Bamford and Leeds are heading back to the country’s top flight after a two-year absence but with Bamford having played just 235 minutes off the bench in the club’s Championship-winning campaign.
Bamford, though, has declared plenty of self confidence in assessing how it feels to be a striker at a newly-promoted club who are continually being linked with new forward options.
Speaking on Fozcast - The Ben Foster Podcast - Bamford declared how he had “seen off” other former strikers brought to the club, admitting his answer was arrogant but rightfully so in the competition for places.
Asked what it was like being a striker at a club ‘crying out for a new striker that is going to score 30 goals’ - knowing that at any point a new forward could come in - Bamford reasoned: “When I was younger I used to hate it because there's always links at every team.
"But in my head now I kind of think like most strikers that have come in I have kind of seen them off.
“I guess that's a bit of arrogance but that's the way you have got to think”...
"I always end up playing and I still think, even though I only played a handful of minutes this year, I feel like if we had got into bother and we needed it then the manager would have turned to me because it happened the season before until I picked up the injury.
"I have always felt that anyone who has come in I have always ended up eventually back up there. I guess that's a bit of arrogance but that's the way you have got to think."
Pressed on whether he and his teammates had spoken about new players coming in, Bamford admitted his squad needed strengthening in order to keep on climbing but with a competitive warning to players coming in.
Bamford explained: “The boys will never outwardly say it but we have said that the team needs probably a handful of players which is not just only to start but obviously to give depth as well. They can bring a striker in if they want!
"But I think we know as players ourselves that in order for a team to grow - and we know the ownership we have got and where they want to get to - it's going to keep growing and in order to do that you are going to have to keep improving players wise.
"I think it's something that is known but also every player will think there is no way you are having my shirt.
"It's a nice bit of competition. Don't get me wrong, when the first person comes in in your position, you will be like you don't like him and then after a few weeks you end up finding out you are actually mates with him and it's alright.”