Cook: Second season tough

Lewis Cook was named the Football League's Young Player of the Year on Sunday, even though the Leeds midfielder thinks he has experienced a "tough" second season in the senior ranks.

The 19-year-old beat Fulham's Moussa Dembele and Walsall's Rico Henry to the award for a campaign where he has appeared 43 times for Steve Evans' mid-table Sky Bet Championship club.

Cook only made the breakthrough at Elland Road last season and while his role for Leeds has drawn recent plaudits and accolades, he was self-critical when assessing how the term has gone.

"It's been a tough one, the second season personally is always quite hard," he noted.

"I'm glad I've played a lot of games and got a bit more experience under my belt. I want to try and push on now and improve my game. When it's your first season you get a bit of leeway and the pressure's off you a little bit but there's more pressure in the second season."

Leeds' entire squad could be forgiven for suffering a dip in form given the soap opera that takes place away from the pitch, yet Cook does not see those issues as a distraction.

"I don't find it too hard really," he added of blocking out the off-field stories.

"I know how to focus on my football and I think all the lads do as well. You've just got to try and block that out, pull together and really focus on our football."

Cook has played in a variety of positions under Evans, from sitting in front of the back four to playing in a number 10 role and occupying one of the wide berths.

While admitting he is just happy to be on the pitch so often as a teenager, he conceded that his favourite role is in the middle of the park.

"I don't really mind where I'm playing; I'm young and I'm just really happy to be on the pitch," he said.

"I like central midfield but if I play on the right or in behind I'll happily do that."