This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Jordan Stevens finally returned to Leeds United U23 action on Monday evening after his six-week ban for gambling offences.
By all accounts, Stevens had a rather unimpressive game as he was described as: ‘Not on it as he has been in the past for the under-23s.’ But there must be some level of understanding towards this over the next few weeks.
On the chalkboard
One thing that has to be considered is that Stevens’ ban wasn’t just a competitive one, it was a ban from all football-related activity – something that caused controversy among the fanbase.
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His ban meant he hasn’t been able to train for six weeks and that’s going to take its toll on a young player, not just in terms of their development but also their overall fitness.
Of course, he could have had a kick about in his back garden or ran the streets to stay fit, but these regimes are nowhere near the standards that these professional clubs have these days, and it may take him some time to get back into the swing of things.
The main thing here is to give him time. U23s football should be a chance for him to develop, and there’s no reason for his initial struggles to deny him the opportunities to play for Carlos Corberan’s side.
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The Whites have made their choice, they’ve stuck by Stevens through this ban, and now it’s time for that faith to carry over to the pitch while he goes through what could undoubtedly be a tough readjustment period.
It will take him time to get up to speed as he’s a 19-year-old with barely any experience, but they must give him the benefit of the doubt over the next few weeks before judging him on his performances.