A street mentality around Leeds United’s training ground made things choppy for Crysencio Summerville in an opening six months he now admits were ‘very difficult’ for him. The Dutch winger has bemoaned his poor English, living in a hotel and away from his favourite people during a transition in which he was calling his agent every day for an escape route.
Last night, Summerville was involved as the Netherlands crashed out of the European Under-21 Championship at the group stage. The 21-year-old will now take a long-awaited break and consider his future.
There are another three years to run on the contract Summerville signed last August, but he has already admitted this month he does not know if he will be at Elland Road next year. Summerville had made it clear, more than once, his agent was under strict instructions to hold back any transfer talk until after the summer tournament.
In an interview with Voetbal International, as reported by Feyenoord news platform 1908.nl, Summerville has looked back to the start of his time with the Whites. The forward joined Leeds in September 2020 as an 18-year-old from the Rotterdam outfit.
READ MORE: Leeds United confirm second permanent transfer exit of the summer as they await new head coach
"I must say that I had my doubts when I had to make the choice because, yes, it is a big step and it really was,” he said. “I am a boy from South Rotterdam, a boy from the street. I hardly spoke English and then you go abroad when you are 18."
He added: "Nobody actually knows this yet, but I want to be honest. [For] the first six months I had a very difficult time. At that time I called my agent almost every day.
“I said I wanted to go back to the Netherlands, that I didn't like it. I said ‘I just don't want this. I want to go home.’”
Summerville, who would not make his first-team debut until one year and one day after arriving, struggled with living out of temporary accommodation too. He missed his family and friends.
"I missed my people,” he said. “Family, friends. I was there all alone. Not even in an apartment. [For] the first weeks I slept in a hotel. Training and then back to that hotel room and, as I said, my English was not good.”
Summerville even admitted his attitude in the opening months of his time with the Whites did not do him any favours.
"I don't know if I was a difficult boy, but I may have had my things in the Netherlands,” he said. “That also has to do with the neighbourhood in which I grew up. Rotterdam South.
“It sometimes goes a bit faster, you have a certain street mentality. I also took that to the club. That was not always smart, but now I think differently in the choices I make, in my actions and thoughts.”
