Belehouan keen to get stuck in at The Shay
HE MIGHT have the name of a French fashion designer, but Jean Leroy-Belehouan possesses the background, attitude and voice of a tough-tackling Mancunian.
And it is with that get-stuckin mentality that the 20-yearold is approaching his loan at The Shay, having joined from Sheffield United for the rest of the season.
“I’ll bring my attributes to the team in terms of my pace, my defending one v one, reading the game, and I’d say scoring as well,” he said.
“I’ve scored for the under23s, but just doing the basics well. I like to compete, I don’t back out, I like the physical game. I can rely on my pace inbehind but I like to get tight to players and get stuck in.
“And I think talking is one of my biggest assets, I don’t care who’s around me, I’ll always talk because talking’s the most important thing in the game, especially where I play.
“Being a leader and talking is so vital, giving good information to people.”
Belehouan is relishing the prospect of playing competitive football rather than the more cosseted environment of academy football.
“It was kind of a relief,” he said of the move. “I did my first session and I literally said ‘this is a relief ’ in terms of just being in and around a first-team environment.
“Halifax are looking to push on for promotion and you could tell once you walked in that you were in a good first-team environment with a good bunch of lads. They made me feel welcome and I feel like I’ve fitted in well. I’m really happy being at Halifax. Sometimes in the under-23s there can be games where you’re just cruising through it and you want a challenge, and coming to Halifax, I know I’m in a challenge.
“The gaffer’s good, they’re good people, he has faith in youngsters.”
Belehouan was playing for a team in his native Salford when he was scouted by his boyhood club Manchester United.
He had been a midfielder before joining The Red Devils, where he started playing as a right-back, before a growth spurt at 15 saw him convert into a centre-half.
“I was there from undernines to under-16s,” he said of his time at United.
“I loved it, just the buzz of being part of it, the environment, the facilities. I learned a lot coming away from Man United, with Man United it’s more the pretty football, but when I came to Sheffield United I learned a lot about the physical aspect more than just playing with the ball. I don’t miss too much because I’m a better player from when I was there, 100 per cent, and I think stepping away from there made me the player I am.”
Belehouan made his Town debut in the 1-1 draw at King’s Lynn on January 9, and feels his time at The Shay will be good for his development.
“I just want to get experience and games under my belt.”Having that experience will help me when I go back to my parent club to push on, help me toughen up as a player.”
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