Jonjo Shelvey Hat-Trick Fires Blackpool Past Leeds, Delights Kenny Dalglish

Kenny Dalglish reads the headlines Jonjo Shelvey makes with his performances at Blackpool. The 19-year-old on-loan midfielder scored a hat-trick Wednesday in its 5-0 win over Leeds, and the Liverpool boss is delighted for him, according to the club’s website.

“I never saw it but it’s fantastic for Jonjo,” Dalglish said. “In the first game he played he was exceptional and, scoring a hat-trick, he must have been decent — though I heard one or two of the other performances weren’t too clever.

“He’s a young boy who’s got a fantastic future in football. He’s there to educate himself and it’s very important for him to take what you get from a bad performance and a good performance and to put them in perspective.”

Shelvey is playing for Blackpool on a three-month loan deal, which expires at the end of the calendar year. He immediately took a place in manager Ian Holloway’s starting 11 and has adapted to his new surroundings with ease. He has scored five goals in six appearances for the Championship club.

“We’ve got great hopes for him, we’re delighted for him,” Dalglish added. “To score a hat-trick in the Championship, I’m sure he’ll remember that.”

Shelvey may return to a crowded Liverpool midfield in January, but it is more likely that he will either extend his loan at Blackpool or join another English Premier League club for the remainder of the season. 

Photo via Flickr/johnrobjones