Preston North End captain's honest and open reflections on being dropped from starting XI of late
PNE skipper spoke to the media after the defeat to West Brom
Preston North End captain Ben Whiteman has no complaints over being dropped from the starting lineup in recent weeks.
Since being signed from Doncaster Rovers in January 2021 the midfielder has been a regular in the North End XI. Whiteman has made 156 appearances for the Lilywhites in total with 141 of those starts. Across the last eight games though he has been on the bench four times and an unused sub once.
Whiteman came on in the New Year’s Day defeat to West Brom and put in a solid second half performance. Speaking to the media afterwards he didn’t pull any punches about his recent displays and admitted he’s had to lead, as captain, in a different way of late.
"Yeah, 100 per cent," said Whiteman. "It is a squad game and if you are not playing well you are going to get replaced. The manager has made the calls and you have got to get on with it. When you come on the pitch you've got to show him why you should be playing. Competition in there is always massive; I am not going to complain or spit my dummy out or anything like that.
“It is a team game and you've got to get behind the lads when they are playing. I came on today and did my bit and the manager has got a call to make now. My performances over the last month or so probably haven't been the best and that is why I have been replaced. You have got to lead in different ways and I think I'm doing that.”
With regards to his own performance level of late there is nothing which stands out to the number four as overly poor. But, Whiteman accepts he hasn’t quite been at the races and sees it as a new source of motivation - to get himself back in the side and find his best form again.
"Nothing in particular,” said Whiteman. “Sometimes I think you can try and things don't come off. It's one of them where you have got to get on with it and roll your sleeves up and dig in. I thought I did that today as did the lads who came on and gave the manager a decision to make.
“I think if you look at my career over the past six years I've not really had a break. So, seeing it different now from the sides now I am the captain of the football club and I've got to lead in a different way. You've got to get on with the decision - that is football."