Dominic Ball has lifted the lid on Jamie Donley’s mentality and rise at Leyton Orient, after the young Tottenham midfielder’s tough start out on loan.
Sometime last season, Jamie Donley opened up on his goal for this summer, stating that he wants to fight for a spot in the Tottenham Hotspur first team.
The midfielder, capable of playing in a host of positions, including as a right winger, a central midfielder, a centre-forward and an attacking midfielder, impressed during his time out on loan at Leyton Orient.
It was his first loan spell ever in his career, and Donley was outstanding for the O’s, winning Leyton Orient’s Player of the Season, after scoring eight goals while also grabbing 11 assists.
Dominic Ball speaks on Jamie Donley’s mentality during Leyton Orient spell
Speaking to talkSport, Dominic Ball, who came through the Tottenham youth setup, playing with the likes of Harry Kane, has now opened up on what it was like playing with Jamie Donley on loan at Leyton Orient.
The former Tottenham man opened up on how Donley recovered from a tough few months during his loan spell at Leyton Orient.
He said: “That was his first loan, his first length of games, and there was a period at the start of the season where he was not playing and things were not going well, and he had a choice to make.
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“Go back to Spurs and just accept a failed loan, or sort of dig deep and make it happen. I remember just saying to him, like Jay, even for yourself, keep training hard for yourself, because it will change.
“There are so many things happening in football out of your control, but you train hard for yourself. I remember saying to him in the first game that me and him played together, I was like, we are entertainers, let us relax, let us enjoy this.
“And he always said that he kept that with him, and he ended up being our most influential player. I do not know what his level is going to be – whether that is Prem, Champ, or even higher. But I am looking forward to seeing him sort of progress because he is a talent!”
Donley’s pre-season form and Tottenham’s next steps
Of course, Jamie Donley is a talent, and many Tottenham fans would be hoping the midfielder reaches his full potential, just like Harry Kane, who had loan spells away from Tottenham before securing a spot in the first team squad.
So far in pre-season, Donley has been handed game time, often featuring in the number 10 role behind the striker, but he is yet to score a goal.