Keith Curle on interest in Kyle Dempsey
Manager Keith Curle today confirmed that a League One bid has made an initial enquiry about first year professional Kyle Dempsey as interest continues to grow in United’s young crop of players.
“We had an enquiry about Kyle Dempsey from a League One club but that was another courtesy call to let us know that a written offer is going to be submitted,” he explained. “I spoke to John Nixon about that, to let him know, and I then told the player.
“My mindset hasn’t changed. Players are progressing here and they’re getting their football. They’re at a club which looks after them and I don’t think they can’t ask for more than that. With where we are as a club we’re in a position where we want to look after our younger players. We don’t want or need to sell them at this moment in time.
“I was very honest with Kyle when I spoke to him,” he said. “I told him if he wants to get a move to a Premier League club I'll ring Neil Warnock and he can go to London, play in their U21s and not get seen for three years.
“In my opinion he would be better to stay here, play 100 league games and move to a Championship club which he could get promoted with. He then goes into the Premier League as a fixture in a team.
“There are a lot of different career paths people can take. I told Kyle about a lad I knew when I was 16. I stayed with my local club and he chose to do his apprenticeship at Arsenal. Three years later he was out of the game playing non-league football.”
“I think any player is pleased when they hear they have other clubs looking at them,” he insisted. “That means they’re doing something right.
“Whatever else is happening, they also know the first thing they have to do is impress me, because I pick the team. We’re giving them a platform to produce performances right now and they’re doing that by having a freedom to play.
“What we don’t want them to do is go somewhere to learn their job on the bench or in an U21 team. We want them to be playing where it matters, as they are now.”
“I’ve been really pleased with Kyle since I came into the job. During the interview process I was asked to go and watch a couple of games and he was playing as a wide man. I didn’t really see him in that role and within the first couple of training sessions I knew I wanted to have a look at him in the centre of midfield.
“People who watch him play will know he is a very competitive player with great ability. He has a great attitude and simplicity about his approach towards the game. That will never be a bad thing.”
