| Llewellyn best striker in league, says Dyer |
| Tuesday 15 September 2009 |
 NEATH manager Andrew Dyer believes that his striker Chris Llewellyn is the best in the Welsh Premier.The Gnoll-based side have made several new signings and are starting to turn the corner after a somewhat inauspicious start to the campaign. With his high-profile summer acquisition netting his fifth goal in as many games in a hard-fought 2-1 win over Bala, Dyer paid tribute to Llewellyn in an interview with Afan FM. "Maybe now, people will stand up and see just how good the lad is," he said. "I don't think I'm boasting when I say I've got the best striker in the league. His performance, his training and his attitude to everything is outstanding." Dyer went on to talk about 30-year-old Llewellyn, who signed for the Eagles this summer in what is a major transfer coup for Neath, the signing being a major statement of intent for the club. With Llewellyn's experience in the Football League, Dyer believes he is only going to get better, as well as improve the younger players at the club. "I can't speak highly enough of him, to be honest, he brings great leadership qualities, he's a calming influence on the team and he certainly knows how to stick the ball in the back of the net,” he added. "He's a great influence on the rest of the team, young players like Rob (Spendiff), how could they not learn off him?" Llewellyn played in over 350 games for clubs such as Norwich City, Hartlepool and Wrexham and is well on the way to getting his highest single season total, with five goals early in the season and scoring in every league game so far. But what of the player himself? Llewellyn said he was still learning: "I'm really happy so far, but I'm still adapting," he said. "I'm just happy to be helping move the team up the table." The Merthyr-born player also revealed that he was pleased with what he had seen of the division and Neath in particular. "I was impressed when I came down here to sign," he said. "I had no expectations, I wasn't sure really, except I knew they wanted to move forward and wanted to do things." And it's with his goals that Neath are progressing. Moving up to seventh after their second consecutive win, both Llewellyn's goals at the Gnoll have been headed, and his aerial prowess has really set himself apart from the rest of the league. However, Llewellyn had been surprised at how well he's been able to use his head. "It's only taken me 15 years to head a ball correctly," he said. "Maybe it's the style of play here, but I've been heading more and more balls." Going back to his manager, Andrew Dyer sees the signing of Llewellyn as one that raises the profile of the league as a whole. "The whole league is lucky to have Chris playing," he concluded.  Photo by Mike Greenslade. |