Team-mates are urging Newcastle loanee to be braver in attacking
After scoring his sixth goal of the season, Joe White’s team-mates are keen to see more of him
Midfielder Joe White has a big career ahead of him, but MK Dons captain Alex Gilbey wants to see more from the Newcastle United loanee.
White, 22, bagged his sixth goal of the season with an excellent solo effort against Harrogate Town on Tuesday night - one of precious few good moments to take from the 2-1 win. Picking up the ball midway into the Harrogate half, White skipped past a couple of challenges before smashing past keeper James Belshaw to give the hosts the lead at Stadium MK.
Playing in a deeper role, initially alongside Jay Williams and then Kane Thompson-Sommers, White’s attacking prowess was muted somewhat as a result, with Dan Crowley and Alex Gilbey tasked with playing in behind Scott Hogan.
But while White was lining up in a deeper role, both Gilbey and head coach Scott Lindsey were urging the Newcastle star to show off his abilities, and his burst into the attacking third and excellent finish showed what he is capable of when pushed forwards.
“Joe White is a proper, proper footballer,” waxed Gilbey after the game. “We need to see more of that. We see it day in, day out in training. But we keep telling him we need to see more of him.
“He's an unbelievable football player, and he will have an unbelievable career, but we need to see more of that from him.”
Lindsey too was full of praise for the creative White, but feels he needs to be braver and believe in his own abilities and to add to Dons attacks when they come.
He said: “The reason we want Joe White to run with it is because he's so good, and the goal confirms how good he is.
“I told him to be in the deep position as a build player, but then over the half-way line, become and 8 or a 10, a more attacking player. When he did, he caused them problems. But we didn't do that enough.”