Bamford og Lewis Baker - best mates.
Patrick Bamford reveals why Lewis Baker is so important to his Leeds United recoveryThe former Chelsea team-mates have also played together at MiddlesbroughBy Beren CrossDigital sports writer 17:17, 21 SEP 2018
Sport
Games nights, PlayStation and brotherly squabbles all underpin what Patrick Bamford considers to be a key relationship in his recovery from injury for Leeds United.
Lewis Baker may have arrived at Chelsea seven years before Bamford, but after playing together for the first time in 2012, a close friendship has developed.Each of them has been on their fair share of loans, but Stamford Bridge was the constant in their careers until Bamford left permanently in January 2017 for Middlesbrough.
Seven months later Baker followed him to Riverside Stadium on a loan deal, and they grew yet closer throughout last season on Teesside.
Together again this term, but in West Yorkshire, Bamford, 25, has talked up how important Baker, 23, will be to his recovery as he looks to keep a clear head through a testing time.
Asked how hard the injury, suffered playing with the under-23s alongside Baker, was to take, Bamford said: “It's frustrating, but to be honest I'm trying not to think what ifs, what could have been.
“Now, I'm just concentrating on coming back stronger.
“This gives me a chance to strengthen areas I probably wasn't as strong in in the gym, help me get faster, quicker and then we'll see.
“Hopefully it'll be like having a new player when I come back around the New Year.
“So far it's not been too bad. It's only been two weeks. It's dragged a little bit, it's felt like a slow two weeks.
“I've got good friends around me. I'm really good mates with Lewis Baker. He lives literally a 30-second drive away from me, so I hang out with him a lot.
“Yes, just find different things to pass the time. I'll find new hobbies and see where it takes me.â€
Those hobbies?
“We had games night last night at Lew's house. We played a game called Linkee, so just things like that, just a good laugh, things that would take your mind off it.
“Everything me and Lew do is so competitive, honestly it's like two brothers, always arguing about irrelevant stuff, but funny arguments.
https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/patrick-bamford-lewis-baker-leeds-15185115