During a recent interview with the National League Lowdown Podcast, AFC Fylde manager Craig Mahon revealed how patience could be the key to success for Peterborough United forward Danny Ormerod.

The 20-year-old joined the League One side for an initial fee of £600,000 in August, just months after winning the Player of the Season award in the National League North with division champions AFC Fylde, thus sealing their immediate promotion back to the fifth-tier.

Following promotion, Ormerod started the season in a strong vein of form for Mahon’s side, leading to subsequent interest and a deal being eventually struck with Peterborough towards the final days of the transfer window.

However, he’s since struggled to make an immediate impact in the EFL – but Mahon expressed his thoughts as to how Peterborough can get the best out of him.

Peterborough need patience for Ormerod success

Earlier this week, Mahon sat down with the National League Lowdown Podcast to discuss several avenues including his playing career, coaching styles, ambitions and particular players – with Ormerod being one name in particular that was mentioned.

The 20-year-old registered two goals in his first three matches of the campaign for AFC Fylde, before his move to Peterborough, but despite getting involved in the goals, a recent managerial change and challenging form has made his start a tricky one.

However, Mahon revealed that he was convinced Ormerod would ‘definitely be a player to watch‘ once he managed to find his feet in League One.

Speaking on Ormerod, Mahon stated…

‘For the first two or three games he was a substitute because we were trying to embed him into the group. Charlie Jolley (now of Marine AFC) was our main striker and we played Southport away where he got sent off and from then on, Danny Ormerod just took his chance.

‘The big thing for me was his hunger, he always wanted more – whether it was training, individually, in the gym or information/detail on other teams – he was just hungry to learn and just got better and better throughout the course of the campaign and obviously his goals speak for themselves.’

Host Craig Porte then asked the Irishman about his thoughts on whether time would help Ormerod show Peterborough supporters how good he can be, to which Mahon added…

‘I think he’s got so much talent, he’s raw, energetic and enthusiastic and he will want to play every game and get better. The season before I came (to AFC Fylde) he was out on loan at Chorley and he was a bit-part player for Fylde that year and he learned his trade and I think he probably needs a season of that at Peterborough.

‘It’s going to be different for him, moving away from home… We say it at Fylde, it’s not just the player, it’s the person as well, so Danny has to grow and develop as a person as well as a player and I think that’ll take time but as soon as he settles down and gets his feet in – he’ll definitely be a player to watch.’

Can he be Peterborough’s next goal-scoring sensation?

It is no secret that Peterborough United have a long-standing success whenever it has come to buying and developing strikers before selling them on for big money – with standout examples including Jack Marriott and England international Ivan Toney.

However, one former player in particular that has followed a similar trajectory to the 20-year-old is Dwight Gayle. Though arriving from Dagenham & Redbridge back in 2012 with whom were competing in League Two – Gayle impressed in the then Blue Square Conference North (now National League North) in the season prior to his sale, just like Ormerod with Fylde.

Gayle hit 42 goals for Bishop’s Stortford, winning the Golden Boot award, exactly like Ormerod did for Fylde during the previous campaign.

Admittedly, the difference on this occasion is that Peterborough were a Championship side when Gayle arrived, whilst they are in the League One relegation zone at the time of writing.

Ormerod has featured 15 times across all competitions for Peterborough thus far, scoring two goals and providing an additional assist – though only three of those have been starts, with just one arriving in the league itself.

Within the last 18 months however, the 20-year-old has proven to be a reliable goal-scorer whenever he’s featured, creating chances out of nothing and causing numerous problems for opposition defenders – something Peterborough themselves are in need of currently.

Whilst the high price tag and ongoing poor form could lead to supporters placing additional pressure on Ormerod, if Robbie Savage is able to embed him patiently, they could see a better output from the forward over the course of the season and beyond.

Peterborough have a long-standing reputation for buying non-League players too, but not all have been successful, which is why the 20-year-old being given the appropriate time to settle himself could hold all the keys to him becoming their next big star.