Manchester United striker Ethan Wheatley has been given encouragement during his loan spell at Bradford City, despite the fact that he has yet to score his first goal for the club. Bradford City manager Graham Alexander has advised the young forward not to become overly frustrated or discouraged by his current goal drought, stressing that his overall performances and work rate have been very impressive.
So far, Wheatley has played 375 minutes for Bradford City without finding the back of the net. However, his manager believes the numbers do not fully reflect the quality of his contributions on the pitch. During Bradford’s recent victory against Port Vale, the 20-year-old striker produced an energetic performance and came close to scoring on several occasions. He managed five shots in total, with four of those attempts on target, but was repeatedly denied by Port Vale goalkeeper Joe Gauci, who delivered a strong display between the posts.
One of Wheatley’s best opportunities came early in the match when he found himself in a one-on-one situation with Gauci. Unfortunately for the Bradford forward, the Australian goalkeeper reacted quickly and prevented the shot from going in. Gauci later went on to make additional saves from Wheatley, stopping him from breaking his scoring duck. Despite the missed chances, the young striker continued to push forward and kept testing the goalkeeper throughout the match.
Wheatley had also been active in the previous game against Leyton Orient, where he registered three attempts on goal. Although he again failed to score, his manager highlighted that his persistence and determination have been crucial for the team.
Alexander expressed great satisfaction with Wheatley’s performance at Vale Park, even describing the striker as “absolutely unplayable” at times. The Bradford City boss emphasized that the most important thing for a striker is to keep creating opportunities and putting pressure on the opposition defense.
According to Alexander, Wheatley fully deserved to score during the match because of how frequently he tested the goalkeeper and how involved he was in Bradford’s attacking play. He praised the forward for refusing to let his early missed chance affect his confidence or willingness to keep trying.
Alexander explained that the team’s philosophy is built around perseverance and bravery on the pitch. Players are encouraged to keep taking risks, continue pushing forward, and never stop trying to make something happen. In Wheatley’s case, the manager felt he embodied that approach perfectly during the game.
The Bradford boss also revealed that the young striker initially appeared disappointed after missing the early one-on-one chance—similar to missed opportunities in his previous appearances against Luton and Peterborough. During the match, when play was briefly stopped due to an injury, Wheatley came to the sideline for a drink and was seen shaking his head in frustration.
Alexander quickly stepped in to encourage him, reminding the player not to dwell on mistakes. He told Wheatley not to criticize himself for missing a single chance and instead focus on getting into good positions again and taking the next opportunity when it comes.
The manager explained that many young players tend to be overly harsh on themselves whenever things do not go their way. However, he believes it is essential to maintain a positive mindset and concentrate on the next moment rather than thinking about missed chances.
Alexander felt that Wheatley responded well to that advice during the remainder of the match. When the striker was substituted later on, the crowd made their appreciation clear, applauding his effort and overall performance.
Although Wheatley has not yet scored for Bradford City, Alexander remains confident that the goals will come in time. He pointed out that the forward is already causing serious problems for opposing defenders. His pace, combined with the speed of teammates Tyreik Wright and Josh Neufville, stretched the Port Vale defense and created numerous attacking opportunities for the team.
Alexander also stressed that scoring goals is only one aspect of a striker’s role. While finding the net brings personal satisfaction, helping the team win matches consistently is far more important for the overall success of a player’s career.
Managers, coaches, and teammates, he said, value players who contribute to victories through their overall performances, work ethic, and ability to disrupt opponents. In that regard, Wheatley has already shown he has the qualities needed to succeed.
The Bradford manager believes that Wheatley possesses the character and mentality required to become a regular goalscorer in the future. However, he also warned that the striker should never rely solely on scoring goals to define his contribution. Instead, he should continue to use the other strengths in his game—such as his pace, movement, and attacking presence—which make him a difficult player for defenders to deal with.
In Alexander’s view, if Wheatley continues performing with the same determination and commitment, the goals will inevitably arrive.
