Stoke City expert's prediction as Preston North End swoop for 'reliable' and 'popular' Jordan Thompson
Preston North End are closing in on a free transfer swoop for Jordan Thompson
Jordan Thompson is set to sign for Preston North End after leaving Stoke City, but what can the Deepdale faithful expect? Here, Potters reporter for Stoke-on-Trent Live, Pete Smith, gives George Hodgson the lowdown.
Were you surprised by Stoke’s decision to let him go this summer, or did you see it coming?
PS: ‘I think of all the players that Stoke have released, Thompson was the one that divided opinion the most. We ran a survey at the end of the season... I think there was a majority of Stoke fans who would’ve kept him. The thing that counted against him was probably his availability in the end. He didn't play enough games last season, partly because he missed a big chuck through a hernia operation in January.
‘There's no long-term problem, and then he missed the last couple of games with an ankle injury. It doesn't feel like there's any lingering doubts about whether he can play a lot, but when Stoke are making decisions this summer, I think a lot is going to be based on players who've been available far more than Stoke have had in the last couple of years. We've spent so much time talking about injury lists that I think that's going to be a big box for him to tick in any decision at the moment.’
Do you think he belongs at the level still? He was Stoke’s longest serving player at the time of his departure, wasn't he?
PS: ‘Yeah, he's always been a squad player, I would say. When he's come in, he's been a pretty steady pair of hands without ever really doing enough to make the shirt his own. There have been people saying that he probably has done that over time, and I think there are always players who, for whatever reason, aren't particularly glamorous. Glenn Whelan was probably one during his time at Stoke.
‘There was always a will to try to replace them with somebody who's a bit more sexy, and Jordan Thompson probably fell into that bracket. But when he came in, he was reliable, no nonsense pretty much, and he filled in at left back as well. Although he's got his Blackpool connections, I think he'll pretty quickly win over Preston fans with his work rate and his willingness to put his body on the line for the club.’
Paul Heckingbottom has spoken about not losing what Preston ‘are’ - he means an honest, hard-working, good group. They've let Ryan Ledsen go, who was a massive person in that regard. Do you think he'll fill that void that's been left?
PS: ‘Yeah, I think so. He's a reliable character as well, fairly reliable on the pitch, really popular inside the changing room and yeah, just seemed like a good lad to have around the place. Michael O'Neill spoke well of him, Alex Neil spoke well of him, Steven Schumacher spoke well of him, and then Mark Robins spoke well of him as well, even though he released him in the end.
‘So yeah, I think his race has been run at Stoke. He'd seen a lot of managers come and go over the last few years, and like Preston, I'm sure Stoke are just looking for that chance to make changes where they can, and make sure that they're not just repeating the same cycle of the last couple of seasons.’
What's his best midfield role, would you say? The versatility will be music to people's ears, but in terms of midfield is there somewhere he's best suited?
PS: ‘I remember asking this question when I was in your position, and Stoke were signing him from Blackpool. We were under the impression that he was going to be some kind of attacking midfielder, and he's not that. Be prepared for long range shots with his left foot that end up in the car park. He's quite keen to take shots on; not many go on target. He hit the bar at Cardiff but that was his best shot in about four years, from what I can remember!
‘He's a holding midfielder, really. He is different to Ben Pearson; I think Ben Pearson's probably more of a natural defensive midfielder in terms of breaking up the play, but Thompson can sit back and link play between defence and midfield. He can fill in at left back as well, which has been useful at Stoke over the last couple of years, when they've had a lot of injuries at left back, particularly.’
Is there a major trait in his game, or is he a bit of a Jack of all Trades, Master of None vibe?
PS: ‘Yeah, I think that would probably be what the realistic assessment would be... that he comes in and keeps things simple. That's when he's probably at his best. He'll know his own game better now than he has done at any other points in his career. There's always been an urge from Stoke fans to get him playing forward more regularly and taking more risks.
‘He's keen to just keep hold of possession and just knock it around and keep the ball, rather than take risks. That can also be a strength, I guess, if you're in that position. He's willing to take the ball and willing to move it wide into players who can probably do more damage than he thinks he can do himself.’
There's been a feeling Preston have gone a bit nice in recent years, which I don't think a Preston team ever should be. Do you think Thompson will improve that side of things? Does he like to get stuck in?
PS: ‘Last time I spoke to him was when he was filling in for Ben Pearson in the spring, and I think I said to him something like: ‘You're getting a bit of a reputation for being Stoke's nasty man compared to Ben Pearson’. He took that as a compliment, which was how it was intended.
‘He will get stuck in. He embraces that side of the game. He doesn't get involved in the same kind of skirmishes as Ben Pearson - he's at his own standard for that. Thompson is equally willing to stop a counter-attack and take a yellow card to break up play and make a challenge if he needs to make one.’
Who would you say he played his best football under?
PS: ‘Well, his best game was probably his final game for Stoke when he played as a flying left-back in a must-win game against Sheffield Wednesday at home. He came on as a sub. He'd been really unlucky to lose his place in central midfield to Pearson, who'd been injured the previous week. Thompson came on when there was an injury at left-back, and he played like Roberto Carlos for an hour before he was stretched off.
‘I wouldn't say you would expect that from him regularly. In terms of midfield where you'll see him most, when Stephen Schumacher got the balance right at the end of last season and he was playing as the deeper man, next to Josh Laurent and Luke Cundle, he really seemed to knit everything together. For a spell of perhaps a month, it really looked like we were seeing the best of him. Ben Pearson was out injured at that time and Thompson really stepped up and played a key part in Stoke staying up.’
How often did he play left-back? I wonder if that game might’ve convinced Preston to make a move, because they need people who can get up and down the sides...
PS: ‘I don't want to lead you down a dead end there. I think if he needed to do five-to-ten games there a year, filling in like a second choice left-back, then he's willing to do it. He puts in a shift and he was really popular at Stoke. When he comes back, he'll get a good reception and there aren't too many players who leave and can be sure of that... certainly over the last seven years.”