Former Leeds United head coach Neil Redfearn feels Jay-Roy Grot has the physical attributes to develop into a centre forward, but believes he still needs to learn the ropes at the top level.
The young Dutchman arrived at Leeds from NEC Nijmegen in the summer and Thomas Christiansen has tried to ease the youngster into the scheme of things at Elland Road.
The 19-year-old made his first start for Leeds against Burnley on Tuesday night, but he struggled to play as the lone man up front and was finally hooked off after 85 minutes.
Redfearn believes it would be wise to keep throwing on Grot from bench at the moment when his pace and power will come into effect as the defenders tire out towards the end of the game.
The former Leeds boss admits that the Dutchman has the attributes to learn the ropes of becoming a centre forward, but feels for the moment he looks uncomfortable with his back to the goal.
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Redfearn said on Radio Yorkshire’s Yorkshire Football Show: “It might benefit him initially to come off the bench when the heat of it is gone and the game has got stretched a little bit.
“I think as a player his assets are to get on the [defenders] shoulders and get behind and he is such a fantastic athlete. He has got touch and good awareness.
“When they signed him they said that he can play up front and wide and there is that in him, but he is obviously not comfortable with his back to the goal as that’s not his natural game.
“He is young and he can learn that as he is physically capable of doing that.”
Grot has made three appearances from the bench in the league and is expected to be in the Leeds squad when they play Ipswich Town at Elland Road on Saturday.
