Jack Harrison has shared with The Leeds United Podcast what advice Frank Lampard gave him when the winger sought help when he had been struggling in the past.
Harrison, of course, has emphatically put any poor form behind him in the last two Premier League games. The 25-year-old has now scored four goals in those appearances.
He was the hat-trick hero against West Ham on Sunday.
Understandably, Harrison didn’t have an easy time replicating his form from last season. Leeds has endured a torrid run of luck with injuries. And with that, finding consistency was almost impossible.
Harrison was one of those who struggled to make an impact in the early months of the campaign. But it is clear that he has some great names to fall back on.
He was praised by his former New York City boss Patrick Vieira earlier this season. And it was during his stay in the United States that Harrison had the opportunity to work with Lampard and David Villa.
Of course, Lampard is not generally a popular figure among the Elland Road faithful. But Harrison feels he has much to thank the former England international for as he reflects on the help he has received when he has not been fit, including at Leeds.
“Even now I sometimes get messages from David and Frank. I can contact them for advice and they are so kind that they are always ready to help me,” he told The Leeds United Podcast.
“I would say that Frank 100% has a brilliant mindset when it comes to this kind of thing. He told me that when you walk on the court you have to tell yourself that you are the best player on the court, even if you are not. That’s one of the reasons why he was so successful, his mindset is amazing.”
Leeds’ first hat-trick will be a turning point for Harrison this season
Harrison has tended to improve each season during his time at Leeds. It’s easy to forget that he took a lot of flak during his first loan spell.
He has found kicking this year more difficult. To be fair, he scored eight goals and provided eight assists in his first season in the Premier League. So replicating that achievement was always going to be incredibly difficult.
But in two games, he has put himself at half his goal tally. And there are still 18 games to go.
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