Kyprianou pro deal just rewarded for recent development, says O’s coach

Ross Embleton talked up Hector Kyprianou’s potential and praised Pete Gill’s work at Leyton Orient

Ross Embleton has backed Leyton Orient youngster Hector Kyprianou to have a big future after he agreed a professional deal last week.

The club revealed the news on Wednesday, November 28 the teenager had put pen to paper on a contract which will keep him at the National League leaders until the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

Kyprianou’s deal will come into effect during the summer and currently he is on loan at Bishop’s Stortford – getting regular minutes in the Bostik Premier - while also on occasions playing for O’s youth-team.

“I am delighted for Hector and something that is vital for our young players when they go out on loan is that we continue to monitor them,” assistant Embleton said.

“It is not ‘off you go, we’ll see you in a month’ because we consistently have them watched and primarily by staff and first-team staff if possible, but always by our scouts to make sure it is a creditable loan period.

“Hector, for people who are interested, is a big, strong boy and it has taken him a little bit of time to fill his body out and become a man.

“We always knew he had real quality and it was a case of when he does fill out more, that’s when he will be able to cope with what the game will throw at him, so I’m delighted for him.

“He is a really good kid, he has a great work ethic and I think he will be a very good player for us.”

Kyprianou is still a little way off Orient’s first-team, but will hope to force his way into Justin Edinburgh’s plans by this time next year.

Someone who played a big part in his development, since he moved to O’s at under-14 level, is Peter Gill.

Gill announced his Orient exit on Thursday after three-and-a-half years working in the club’s academy set-up.

He has left to take up a role with Barnet’s youth-team after he had been Professional Development Phase Lead Coach at O’s this season.

Embleton added: “Pete’s was here through some very, very tough times and he had a variety of roles at the club so he deserves a big pat on the back for what he did here.

“Obviously it would have been tough for him and he worked with Danny Webb and he had a lot of other people around to support him in the role he was doing and he has now been given a very good opportunity to move on to Barnet.

“Although people will ask why he has left Leyton Orient to go there, if you look at the scale of the role it is probably a step up in terms of the level of responsibility he will have, so I’m pleased for him. It’s a really good opportunity.”

The O’s loss is certainly Barnet’s gain and even though the north Londoners are yet to officially announce Gill’s appointment, it is set to be confirmed at some point during the month of December.