SWANSEA City midfielder Lee Lucas is hoping to experience the thrill of a second successive promotion having swapped the glamour of the Premier League for the cut and thrust of League Two.
The 19-year-old Wales under-21 international yesterday joined the Brewers on loan until the end of the season — on the day Albion manager Paul Peschisolido extended Argentinian winger Andres Gurrieri’s deal until the end of the campaign as he looks to maintain his side’s play-off challenge.
Lucas has been at Swansea since he was nine and is contracted to them until 2013, having won their youth development player of the season award at the end of the 2009/10 season.
He made his debut for the Swans in their final league game of last season as they beat Sheffield United 4-0 having already secured their place in the Championship play-offs which led to a place in the Premier League.
Now he is hoping to help Albion win promotion.
He said: “I hope to be involved in a promotion, I’m here to help the team.
“They’ve been doing well this season so far and if I can help them into the playoffs and further that would be great.
“I want to try and play as many firstteam games as I can and I want to help the team as much as I can.”
Lucas is highly regarded by Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers and is looking to improve his game and gain valuable experience while at the Pirelli Stadium.
“He’s told me that this is a stepping stone in my career and said it’s a great opportunity to come here and get experience and experience that bit of pressure of playing in front of a few thousand every week,” he said.
“He said to enjoy my experience and come back as a better player.
“I’m not expecting to go straight into the team.
“I’ll try my best for the remainder of the week in training and hopefully be involved at some point, but that’s all down to the manager.”
Describing what fans can expect from him, the Aberdare-born player said: “I’m a central midfield player, I like to keep possession of the ball and work hard for the team.
“I’d say I’m more of a defensive midfielder while I’ve been playing for Swansea, getting the ball off the defence, keeping the ball and setting up play, looking for the frontmen as soon as I can and joining in with the strikers.”
This is Lucas’s first time away from Swansea and he knows what lies ahead of him in League Two even if he did not know much about the Brewers.
“I felt it was a nice club to come to and a nice opportunity for me,” he said.
“I didn’t know much about Burton, but I was told they play good football.
“I was speaking to some of the boys back at Swansea and they were saying it was a good club with good facilities, so I was looking forward to coming up.
“I sat down with the manager at Swansea and he told me there’s not a great amount of teams who try to play passing football.
“But I was told this club try to play football and that’s why I can’t wait to be out there with them.
“If I can go back to Swansea and I’m happy with what I’ve done here, and if we’ve got to the play-offs or even further, then that will be brilliant.”
Peschisolido said he had been tracking Lucas for some time and believes he will bring something extra to his squad.
The Brewers boss said: “Lee has been on my radar for quite some time.
“I’ve made no bones about the fact that we’ve been looking for a midfielder and he’s someone we’ve been trailing for quite some time.
“We weren’t sure if we would be able to get his servives because he’s been in and around their first team, he’s been on the bench, he played for them in the Championship last season and he’s part of the under-21 Welsh squad.
“I’ve always said if we bring someone in, we want someone who will come in and improve what we’ve got, and I’m hoping he’ll do that.
“He’s 19, so you can’t expect too much, but we’ve got him until the end of the season and we’re excited about it.”
Describing what he saw in Lucas which made him want to bring him to the club, Peschisolido said: “He’s technically a very gifted footballer, he’s good with both feet.
“He’s mobile, but he’s quick in the brain, he keeps possession and he doesn’t give the ball away very easily, and he’s got good vision.
“He’s scored a few goals as well, so I’m sure when he gets in and around the box, he’s got the composure.
“I’m hoping big things for the boy.
“We need to get him on the ball and utilise him on the ball because he’s a good player.”
Lucas is set to go straight into Albion’s squad for Sunday’s Pirelli Stadium clash with Oxford United, but Peschisolido would not be drawn on if he would start.
