'Jack Diamond deserves all the credit' - Lincoln boss impressed with Sunderland loanee

Sunderland winger Jack Diamond is proving to be a huge hit on loan at Lincoln, and his new manager says he can't take any credit for it.

Lincoln head coach Mark Kennedy says Jack Diamond deserves ‘all the credit in the world’ for the impact he has made since his loan move from Sunderland.

Diamond was a star performer at Harrogate Town last season, and he has kept that form going at League One level with Lincoln.

He has picked up two man-of-the-match performances for the Imps already this season, and was especially impressive in their 2-0 over Derby this week.

Diamond won a penalty and tormented the Rams defence all night, but Kennedy says the 22-year-old’s form is nothing to do with him.

“Jack deserves all the credit in the world for his start and I definitely won’t stand here and say it is down to me,” Kennedy said.

“We have to give them the maximum, what we try and do is help them along on this journey, kind of implement their own style and their philosophy. And what we’re trying to do is talk about sort of little movements and where we feel we can get him in a position to maximise himself.

“But we work hard. We have three footballing coaches here every day and when one is working the other two are part of the session. So I’d like to think with every player, we spend time with.

“We’re all coach developers and that’s something we’re very proud of, we don’t stand on the side, I don’t want to say old school, but a huge amount of the stuff we do is specific. I am very happy it’s all down to Jack.”