Whitehead: Taken time to adapt to role
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Whitehead playing it safe with Stoke
Stoke midfielder Dean Whitehead admits he has been forced to curb his natural attacking instincts since joining the club from Sunderland.
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Whitehead has been a virtual ever-present in the Stoke side since his summer move from Wearside but he has so far failed to completely win over the Potters faithful.
The 27-year-old has been playing a holding role, recently alongside another defensive midfielder in Salif Diao, and that has frustrated some supporters keen to see the more attacking Glenn Whelan, Liam Lawrence and Tuncay in the side.
However Whitehead has not always been a defensive player and he admits it has taken him time to adapt to Tony Pulis' way of playing.
"A new club brings exciting new challenges, and getting used to a totally different style of play has been one that has taken me a bit of time," he told Loud and Proud, the club's official quarterly magazine.
"An important aspect of the success this club has achieved under Tony Pulis has been the great emphasis he has placed on maintaining the team's discipline and shape.
"That is especially so in the middle of the park where the gaffer impresses upon us the need to sit back and hold our ground, so it's a matter of getting used to how he works and how he likes to stop the opposition playing.
"Consequently, I have had to curb some of my natural instincts which has taken
me a while, but then such a change does take time.
"I've been used to running all over the pitch and spotting opportunities
to get forward into goalscoring positions, so I have had to learn to
hold back a bit more.
"It's not easy when instinctively you've been accustomed to making those bursts forward for such a long time, and there are still occasions when I have to remember my first priority and slam the brakes on to ensure that I am not caught out of position."
Stoke coach Mark O'Connor hinted on Friday that Whitehead may be given more freedom later in the season but for now the former Oxford star is unlikely to have his shackles released.
O'Connor told the Stoke Sentinel: "He is tidy on the ball and there may be games where we might start to release him to get forward a bit more, but not at the moment."
Pulis clearly does not want to give his side too much attacking freedom until relegation is no longer an issue and he still maintains safety is the priority despite Sunday's win over Portsmouth putting the Potters within three points of fifth spot.
"I always say you have to get the points to make you safe. Ideally you do it in the least number of games and then you can push on again," he said.
"Don't get too carried away with what we are doing, we are not there yet.
"The important thing is - and I keep on saying it - we need to be in this league three years to build the foundations for this club to push on.
"Money-wise that will give us the base for this club to drive forward."
One player that may see more games once the club are safe is Tuncay, and Pulis has praised the attitude the summer signing has shown since being substituted at Hull a fortnight ago, just seven minutes after coming off the bench himself.
"I wouldn't have enjoyed being put on as a substitute and taken off - I would have got the raving hump as a player," he added.
"But he has trained ever so well this week and given a bit more time he will play a big part in what we are trying to do at this club.
"I didn't see it but Mark O'Connor (first-team coach) said as soon as Ricardo scored he put his coat back on straight away and sat back in the dug-out."
king_geo : "...Immensely satisfying result this evening! We absolutely swept them away in the first half hour! Porto weren't great by any means but it is never easy to score 5 in the champions league at this stage. Little nervy for ten..." view full comment
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Your Comments
littleshoe (Sunderland fan)
"Although I have a lot of respect for Deano, for sticking with us through thick and thin, I really cant remember him being too much of an attacking player. We did well getting rid as it was these average players (collins, whithead, leadbitter) that held us back. You really should get Tuncay on the pitch, have a go at teams, although its all going pretty well for you at the mo. Good luck"
indiemackem
"Haha wait there .......HAHAHAHAHA what attacking options? how we got that much for you is amazing and to make things better 5 million for cana its just amazing"
danimal75 (Stoke City fan)
"Maybe this explains why he has been shocking since he joined us. Or maybe he is just shocking."
libraking (Stoke City fan)
"Very diplomatically put!
It¿s interesting that in the one time he was allowed up the pitch yesterday he was instrumental in a lovely move that set up our only goal - I was at the game and couldn¿t believe my eyes. It wasn¿t until I saw it on MOTD 2 that it really was him in the link up ¿ perhaps he should be allowed to do it more often. It might get us into safety a lot quicker.
That¿d be asking too much though!
"
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