Noel Whelan admits he did see an improvement in Jay-Roy Grot on Saturday, with the forward scoring his first goal for Leeds United in their 2-1 defeat at home against Sheffield Wednesday.
Grot was snapped up by Leeds from Dutch outfit NEC Nijmegen last summer, but has struggled to make an impact at Elland Road and has slowly and surely slipped to the fringes.
But he was given a chance off the bench on Saturday at Elland Road as head coach Paul Heckingbottom turned to him with Leeds 1-0 down against the Owls.
And Grot answered the call, scoring his first Whites goal to draw Leeds level in the game.
The Whites eventually lost, but Whelan saw much that was good in Grot's display and feels the forward now has his confidence back after a spell playing for the Under-23s.
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Whelan said on BBC Radio Leeds: "There was definite improvement wasn't there?
"You saw a more confident player out there and possibly he's been played in his better position which is on the right hand side; I think he came as a wide player.
"Being in the 23s, scoring some goals, that's what strikers build their confidence on. They are confidence players.
"If you've got that, banged a couple of goals in, doesn't matter what level, then you bring it into the first team.
"He's got his first goal and I really hope he kicks on. I don't want anyone to fail when they put on a white shirt.
"I just hope he takes on board what is expected at this football club", the former Leeds forward added.
Grot will be hoping he did enough in his cameo against Wednesday to convince Heckingbottom to trust him with more minutes on the pitch when the Whites are next in action, against Bolton Wanderers on Good Friday.
With Leeds now having little to play for this season, Heckingbottom may want a closer look at Grot over a run of games.
