Luton Town boss Jack Wilshere hailed Gideon Kodua’s “outstanding” performance against Leyton Orient as the youngster made a compelling case for a central creative role — while revealing the individual plan created to aid his transformation.
Kodua was named man of the match after playing a starring stint in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road, where he was preferred to Kasey Palmer and told to operate alongside Jamie Donley.
The 21-year-old provided the assist for Tottenham loanee to score his first goal for the Hatters against his former side, while he also created two excellent opportunities for Nahki Wells, which the experienced striker was unable to convert.
Had either of those chances found the net, or one of numerous chances including an early opportunity for the Bemudan striker and one for Kodua himself, Luton would have taken all three points.
Despite note converting, those opportunities all came in a swashbuckling first hour where Kodua pulled all the strings in a number 10 role.
Wilshere believes the former West Ham youth skipper has made significant progress in the position, after weeks of talking about playing him more centrally, and said his performance against Orient was the clearest indication yet of his development.
“Credit to Gids. [He] was outstanding today. He’s grown so much in my opinion in that position,” Wilshere said.
“Technically, he’s clean. He knows where his touch is going. He knows where the next part is going, which is really, really important for a midfielder. He understands the spaces.
“And I thought he started really well and he even got better as the game went on. I thought he got a little bit tired towards the end before he came off.
“[I’m] happy for Gids, and happy for the team because we want competition for places in there. We’ve got some really good players in there. But Gids got his opportunity and he took it.”
Kodua has had to be patient with his development. In March, Wilshere admitted he wasn’t then sure of where his best position was and he spent much of last term in wider positions. That continued this pre-season, though the manager had made it clear that he was filling in because Town were short of numbers on the wing. That changed in the transfer window with the additions of Emilio Lawrence and Tudor Mendel, plus the emergence of academy graduate Benny Benagr.
Wilshere said Kodua’s attitude had remained impressive despite being asked to play in a position that was not necessarily his preferred one earlier in the campaign.
“Yeah, he would have been frustrated I think at times, because in the games he had to play left wing. We didn’t have a left winger in the building,” he said.
“But his attitude was always spot on with Gids and he’s a great guy to have around the place. The players love him, the staff love him. He brings a lot of energy in the environment. And he works hard.”
Wilshere revealed that Kodua has been receiving individual coaching from former Luton defender-turned-coach Kevin Foley as part of the club’s individual development plans to transform him into a central midfielder.
“We have IDPs, individual development plans, and certain players get designated coaches, and Kevin Foley and Gids is one,” the Hatters boss said.
“And he wanted to work with him a lot in that position — about his receiving, about where his next pass is, about knowing where his next pass is and his awareness.”
There was even a sense of frustration all round at the draw, while Kodua saw one point-blank chance denied on the line by a hand that went unpunished — which the manager said he didn’t see — plus a wayward shot that Wilshere says he’s seen him bury in training.
“I think he would actually be disappointed — I thought when he cut in on his right foot and went to bed one in, I’ve seen him do that in training,” he said.
“He works on that a lot. So I think there’s more to come and he needs to keep going with that same attitude of trying to improve. And when he gets his opportunity, to take it like he done today.”
The only blot on Kodua’s afternoon was his early exit through cramp in the 83rd minute.
Wilshere said: “He also needs to work on that. He needs to be able to last 90. And he knows that. And that’s his challenge.
“I remember last year thinking we can’t take him off the pitch — he’s such a goal threat and we don’t want to take him off the pitch — and I still feel he is like that, especially when he’s playing like that. So yeah, he had cramp.”
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