'100%' - New boss outlines desire to sign 'ultimate pro' Sunderland loanee on permanent basis
Sunderland defender Zak Johnson is currently out on loan at York City
York City boss Stuart Maynard has backed Sunderland loanee Zak Johnson for a big future in the professional game, and has admitted that the non-league outfit would “100 per cent” like to sign him on a permanent basis.
The promising defender scored his first senior goal at the weekend during a 3-0 win over Wealdstone, and has caught the eye with a series of impressive displays since signing for the National League leaders on a temporary deal back in late November.
Speaking after the final whistle on Saturday afternoon, Maynard was quick to hail the 20-year-old, claiming that he has what it takes to make it at the highest level, as well as discussing his long-term future at the York Community Stadium.
What has been said about Sunderland loanee Zak Johnson?
As quoted by the York Press, the head coach said: “What a performance again from Zak Johnson. He’s just going from strength to strength, we’ve worked with him before and we knew he had the attributes, but he’s going from strength to strength.
“He’s going to be some player. I think that when you’re young, [playing consecutive matches] is how you learn. He’s like the ultimate pro, off the pitch he works so incredibly hard in the gym after training, he’s always demanding, when we do a de-load week he wants to do extras and he’s demanding all of the time because he wants to keep improving.
“We’ve kind of said to him that sometimes it can be his biggest downfall, because he gets in his own head and he can make a sloppy pass. He’s so demanding with himself, sometimes you have to get a clearer head, you have to make a mistake and not let it bother you. That’s what the best players do and we’ve been speaking to him about it, and I think you’re seeing it now.
“The other day at home he passed the ball back and it went out for a corner. In previous weeks, he probably would have got on himself, he probably has a mad five minutes like he did a little bit at Solihull. He’s going from strength to strength and he’s going to be a top player for me, minimum he plays in the Champ[ionship] and if he keeps going the way he is with his attributes, he’s got a chance of going right to the top.”
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On his desire to secure a permanent agreement for Johnson, he continued: “Of course we would [like to sign Johnson permanently], 100 per cent. When we went in to loan him we knew all about Zak, on and off of the pitch.
“First and foremost, the biggest thing for me is your character, your attitude. That’s the biggest thing for me and the management team, that’s the first tick, that’s a massive tick for us. If you don’t have that then you won’t last very long under us as a management team because we need lads that want to come into training every day wanting to improve and wanting to get better.
“They need to have a good attitude, and Zak’s got one of the best. He’s got a real chance, conversations come at the end of the season, you just never know. We’ve got him with us now so let’s enjoy him, we’ll keep working with him to make him a better player because he makes us a better team.”
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