What 'quick, skilful' new signing - 'loved' by Charlton Athletic faithful - will bring to Preston North End
PNE confirmed the signing of Thierry Small last week... Addicks journalist Louis Mendez gives us the inside track on Preston North End’s new man
Were you surprised he chose to leave and join Preston?
LM: ‘Not massively, just because I think the contract stuff had been rumbling on for a while. I think a lot of people did hope that when we got promoted, that would give us a better chance of keeping hold of him. But I guess there's always going to be a question mark over a more established Championship side, and what they can offer compared to what Charlton can offer at this stage.
‘We're still under relatively new ownership and this will be our first time in the Championship under them - What sort of financial clout we're going to have this year, compared to sides that have been there and thereabouts for a lot longer than us... so, maybe a little bit of disappointment but I'm not sure if I'd say a surprise, because we just don't really know yet what we're going to be like in terms of wages this year.’
A lot of Preston fans are really excited about this. Do you think they should be?
LM: ‘Yeah, I think so... he's got potential. He's only 20-years-old and I think a few Charlton fans might’ve even forgotten that, because he's become a bit of a mainstay in the side over the last year or so. His physical attributes make him look a little bit older than he is; he's really well built, really strong.
‘Obviously, there's lots of room for improvement in terms of his final ball, shooting, crossing and that sort of stuff. But even as the season wore on, you did see that improving. So, yeah, I think there's loads of potential there. There's not many players I've seen better at beating their man and taking them on, than Thierry. So, I think Preston fans, if they get to see that, they'll be really enthused by what they see.’
Would you say his attacking qualities are better than his defensive?
LM: ‘Yeah, definitely. Particularly with the way he runs with the ball, he's really quick, quite skilful and really tricky. And like I say, maybe a little bit too add in terms of his final ball but as I said earlier, you could see that improving as the season went on. I think he got the assist in the goal we scored up there in the FA Cup this season, if I remember rightly, as well. He was very good that night.’
What is his best role? I'm wondering if Preston are going to try and use him further forward?
LM: ‘Yeah, it's interesting really, because with us he really came into his own when he was actually being played on the wrong side - sort of out of position a little bit as the right wing-back, rather than as a left-sided player. When he first came in, he was sort of left-sided. But we had Kayne Ramsay, who was playing as right wing-back for us, and went out injured.
‘It took a while to try and find the right person to fill that void. Then, when Thierry started going on the wrong side, it really sort of balanced us up as an attacking force. We we had Tyreece Campbell as a forward, sort of, but he drifted out to the left side. So, it meant all of a sudden we had attacking options down both sides and yeah, obviously the wing-back role, he added a lot to that.’
How do you think he'll handle the Championship? His physical traits will be a massive plus already... is it going to be that end product that makes the difference for him?
LM: ‘Yeah, I think so. That'll be the thing that he'll have to continue to improve. But like I say, there's loads of scope for that to happen. Some of the clubs he's been at in the past, there's obviously other teams that have recognised his potential as well. On the defensive side of it, and the way we played the back three, the guy who was the right wing-back ended up playing the right centre-half - and he covered a lot of that defensive aspect for us.
‘So, that might have covered a little bit for Thierry. But to be fair, by the end of the season, he was playing so far forward that there was a lot of debate about whether we were actually playing the back four, with Thierry part of the three, or just behind the striker. So, yeah, he’s definitely better in the more attacking sense.’
I watched his interview, he seems like a likeable lad. Preston are very big on the characters they're bringing in and it seems like he'll tick that box?
LM: ‘Oh yeah, definitely. He's really popular with the fans and really engaging with the supporters. I interviewed him once or twice and he was really friendly. Obviously, it's just when it came to the contract question, that's when he sort of quieted up a little bit! Other than that, yeah, he got on with the fans. There's some nice videos of him singing and dancing at Wembley as well. The fans all loved him.’