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Lyndon Dykes should now turn to Sir Les
Lyndon Dykes could be the scourge of England defenders at the Euros this summer – if he taps into help from one of the Premier League’s most-famous-ever No. 9s.
Dykes’ performances for Livingston last season earned a move to QPR last August, and saw Scotland boss Steve Clarke call him up.
And he did not let his chosen country down, scoring twice – in Nations League qualifiers against Israel and Slovakia – in his seven international appearances up to now.
T h e Au s s i e - b o r n hit-man is enjoying his debut season south of the border.
But after a bright start, the goals have dried up.
The big striker is without one since the end of November and, what’s more, only one of his five for his new Championship club has been from open play.
Despite that, Dykes should still be in Clarke’s squad for the start of Scotland’s World Cup qualifying campaign later this month after his key role in helping them come through the Euro play- offs back in the autumn.
The advice for Dykes from QPR club ambassador, Andy Sinton, to get back on the scoresheet is simple – go and have a chat with Les Ferdinand.
Now Director of Football for the Rs, ‘ Sir Les’ scored 189 goals in English football’s top flight, so he should have plenty of tips to pass on.
“Lyndon has to become a sponge for the people around him,” Sinton told The Sunday Post.
“If I was him, I would be tapping into Les, who was one of the finest centreforwards in the Premier League.
“I would be asking him to look at my game, and tell me how can I improve, and what I need to work on.
“I’m a great believer the way to get out of a bad run or a lean spell in front of goal is to work as hard as you can, every day. There is no point moping around.
“But all strikers go through barren spells. Lyndon just needs one to get going again.”
Sinton, who co-commentates on all QPR’S matches, has admired Dykes’ relentless work ethic since he moved to Loftus Road, and thinks there is more to come.
And he also understands that despite struggling for goals since Christmas, former Rangers boss Mark Warburton would not be picking Dykes if he wasn’t contributing.
“We’ve been on a good run since
New Year, and although Lyndon has not scored, he has still played in the majority of games,” said the former England winger.
“That’s because his work for the team is so unselfish. A lot of it goes unnoticed.
“He’s a really good kid, he relishes the physical side of things and he makes sure he puts defenders under pressure.
“He started quite late and, at 25, there is a bit of development to come. But from what I’ve heard, he definitely has the hunger to learn.”
If Dykes makes it to the Euros in June, he will follow in Sinton’s footsteps, with him having played for Graham Taylor’s ill- fated squad in Sweden back in 1992.
But he also has a word of caution for the current QPR player about not taking anything for granted.
“I can’t describe how special it was to go to an international tournament,” recalled Sinton.
“I had been told by everyone that I would be going as I was ‘Mr Versatile’, and could play in three or four positions which was ideal for tournament football.
“But Graham rang me, and said I was only on stand-by as they wanted to give John Barnes more time to get fit.
“It felt like my football dream had ended. On that same day, my first child was born and, three days later, John ruptured his Achilles tendon and I was back in the squad.
“So it was the strangest of weeks. “I guess the lesson from that is to never believe you are in the squad until you actually get the call from the manager himself.
“If selected, I’m sure Lyndon will enjoy it, and it would be great for his development to test himself against the best.
“I hope he and Scotland do well – apart from when they play England!”