Hosannah on Thorp Arch frustration, League Two physicality and Bielsaball benefits

The 21-year-old signed a new deal that will keep him at Leeds United, all being well, until the summer of 2022. This season he’s not playing Premier League 2 football at Thorp Arch under Marcelo Bielsa’s watchful gaze, however; he’s out on loan, experiencing the men’s game. Bielsa will, of course, be kept appraised of his young right-back’s progress, along with the other 23s who were permitted to secure first-team football elsewhere. Ryan Edmondson went north of the border to join Aberdeen, Robbie Gotts is at Lincoln City and, in midweek, Alfie McCalmont scored two for Oldham Athletic against a Bradford City side that would have boasted Hosannah, had he been selected. He did play last weekend though, against Tonbridge Angels in the FA Cup. The 7-0 win for the Bantams, televised live, was just one of a host of new experiences for Hosannah, who wanted competitive match action but with two right-backs among Leeds’ best operators, knew his minutes would have to come at another club. “I know a lot of us were 20, 21 and getting to that age where we got a bit frustrated because we weren’t really getting too much out of 23s football,” he said. “Although I was frustrated and felt as though I had done enough to get a few minutes, I couldn’t really complain because [Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas] had great seasons last year and they’ve taken that form into the Premier League as well. “They’re great pros and good guys, you can speak to them. When you’re a younger player and see guys like that in the position you want to get, they do set an example of the standards you have to meet if you want to even challenge for their spot.” Hosannah has found his minutes and tasted football played by men with more miles on the clock. “Going from 23s, I was in and around the first team at Leeds and knew what it was like but I wasn’t playing,” he said. “Now, to be playing, to have something riding on every game we play is exactly what I was looking for when I made the decision to come here. “It’s been a good experience, I’ve been enjoying it. Playing in the FA Cup, on TV, it’s all been good so far. “I knew it was going to be different and more intense, which I have found with the scheduling, but I was just looking forward to the challenge. “It’s obviously more physical, that’s the main difference I’ve noticed. A couple of weeks ago we played Barrow away, up at theirs, and I’ve never experienced a game like that before.” Hosannah isn’t exaggerating – he had to engage in 26 duels, nine more than in any other game so far this season. Barrow had done their homework on him and tasked experienced wing-back Connor Brown with getting in the youngster’s face and giving him no time. Taking the lumps and bumps is part of a learning curve Hosannah is happy to be on and believes that attitude is necessary if the loan move is to succeed. “After the game I looked back and thought it’s not like I didn’t take anything from it, it was still a new experience for me,” he said. “When we discussed it in pre-season, although I’m a young player, I’m 21, I’m not 19, I’m not a kid. I felt like I hadn’t had enough first-team football and I needed this move, I was really motivated. “I know you get some guys who go to the lower leagues and maybe don’t go with the right attitude because they’re being sent there, but I actively was looking for this move, I was really happy when it came about. “Bradford tracked me for a while and didn’t just research how I am as a player but also got character references. They wanted to make sure they were bringing in the right character and I felt I was ready to make the step up straight away.” The older heads in the Bradford City squad have helped Hosannah to settle in and so too has Stuart McCall. “He’s different to what I’m used to, he’s a lot more involved with the players, he’s really bubbly,” said Hosannah. “As a coach he’s shown a lot of confidence in me, always encouraging me on the training ground to be positive in everything I do on the ball. He’s the sort of coach I was hoping I’d get, someone to try and push me on and not hold me back. I’ve been enjoying playing under him so far.” Coming from Leeds 23s, who play the same unique style of football as Bielsa’s seniors, Hosannah has had some adjusting to do in order to carry out McCall’s instructions but Bielsaball has helped, too. “One of the main things I’ve realised, at Leeds I’d become so used to defending with the man-marking system, it had become second nature, I’d forgotten no other teams do it,” he said. “A lot of it is defending the space, defending zonally so I’ve had to change that. A lot of the stuff I’ve learned, particularly since Bielsa has come, has only improved me in terms of playing with a real intensity. That’s something I’ve tried to bring since I’ve joined and it’s helped my performances as well. “The technical aspect, obviously coming from a club like Leeds where all the players are technically assured, I don’t think I’ve had any struggle from that point of view. “Technically I feel as though I’ve improved a lot at Leeds. “I’m a player that likes to play at pace but I don’t really rely on that as much, I can switch up my game a bit. “At Leeds, I played at centre-back quite a bit which was a completely new experience for me if you think that, at Palace, I played as a winger, but I could see why I was playing there. There are aspects I’ve taken into my game defensively this season, it’s only helped.” The son of parents who insisted academia came first until full-time football came along, Hosannah was the kid at Palace who stayed to finish his lessons when fellow academy players left to go and train. With five A* and four A grades at GCSE and his parents’ blessing secured, he began to pursue a career that has taken a tentative but positive step forward this season. The road ahead is long and, even with his new deal at Leeds, there is no guarantee his final destination is Bielsa’s first team but Hosannah is certain his detour across West Yorkshire can only help. “People ask if you weren’t a footballer what would you be and I don’t know,” he said. “It’s all I’ve ever seen myself being. I see myself in a privileged position. A lot of guys don’t make it this far. I feel like I still have a long way to go but I’m confident that with a lot of hard work and a bit of luck I can keep pushing onwards and upwards.”

'I've never experienced a game like it' - Leeds United's Bryce Hosannah on Bradford City loan, Under 23s frustration and Bielsaball benefits