Paul Heckingbottom has been singing the praises of Rhys Norrington-Davies but revealed at the same time he had to ‘dig out’ the Welsh defender in his early days.
The left-footer has been one the standout performers for United this season. Filling in both as a wing-back and a left centre-back, Norrington-Davies is expected to go to the World Cup with Wales this winter. Much like he does for United, Norrington-Davies offers the Welsh much-needed versatility heading into Qatar.
However, it appears that things haven’t always been ideal for ‘RND’ at Bramall Lane. And speaking to the Sheffield Star, Paul Heckingbottom has revealed how he had to encourage the defender to put the hard yards in during training.
“In the first training session, he was one I had to dig out a little bit because he wasn’t working hard enough.
“But from that moment he’s done everything to the best of his ability. And by taking risks and making mistakes, you get better and better and better. So, it’s been enjoyable and good to watch,” Heckingbottom said.
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Norrington-Davies was once again among the best players on the pitch against QPR this week.
Reports in the media have claimed the likes of Leicester, Crystal Palace, and Bournemouth, are all watching him.
Sheff U News View: Norrington-Davies One Of The Players of the Season
There was a point in time where it looked like Rhys Norrington-Davies was never going to be the answer at Sheffield United. Despite having good pace and energy and being good defensively, he seemed lacking in the final third.
However, the move to centre-back has been the making of Norrington-Davies. His endless and relentless bursts down the left have been a joy to watch and he’s the closest United have got to replacing Jack O’Connell.
Certainly, in what has been a fine season so far overall, Norrington-Davies is proving to be one of the stars of the show in red and white.