Why Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is the future Leicester captain
By Ethan Henson
Most professionals at the age of 23 without a Premier League appearance may be forgiven for thinking that their time in the big league would never arrive. In fact, most professionals still waiting for their senior debut at the age of 21 may allow their minds to wander elsewhere or draft contingency plans for other industries to explore in the case that football doesn’t work out for them.
Dewsbury-Hall even suffered setbacks from the minute he became a first-team starter: a turnaround defeat at Villa Park before crashing out of the Europa League to an under-strength Napoli side just five days later, despite the No. 22 netting a terrific volley. When an academy graduate comes into the first team fold and produces two good performances as Dewsbury-Hall did, they’re often lauded as the next big thing or a great talent. The team disappointment around December was so strongly felt that the bright spark the midfield man provided was not dwelt on.
But Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is an excellent example of never giving up, and always believing in oneself. And it’s this determined and self-assured attitude that has helped him excel once he finally had the chance to showcase his ability. It was the Napoli game that lit the spark among some observers, opening eyes to just how far the midfielder could go in the game. Not just his stunning volley to level the scores just before half-time, but the way he appeared to carry the team, exhibiting leadership qualities unbefitting of a player with as little experience at the time.
When Jonny Evans halved the arrears in the 26th minute of the clash, the Foxes in the penalty area immediately celebrated with the Northern Irishman or jogged back for the kick-off. One notable exception was Dewsbury-Hall, who, as the ball nestled the back of Alex Meret’s net, darted towards the goal to retrieve it and speed up the restart.