New Bristol City signing Mark Sykes will watch clips of some of the best No10s in football as he confirms the club's project to switch him into an unfamiliar role.
The former Oxford United man was deployed behind Nahki Wells and Chris Martin in the Robins' opening pre-season 2-0 victory over Cheltenham on Wednesday, filling the boots of Andi Weimann who replaced him for the final 30 minutes of the contest.
Sykes, who became the first arrival of the summer arriving on a free transfer from the League One side, is naturally a right winger where he featured heavily last season. He scored eight and assisted five, tapping into Pearson's desire to bring in a player who can hit the net from midfield.
However, with the manager preferring to play wing-backs in his favoured three at the back formation, it posed questions as to where Sykes would predominantly play. Yesterday's performance was a telling sign that he will be rotated in that No10 role alongside Weimann and potentially Alex Scott.
Sykes admitted he'll need time to adapt to the position, but is eager to put the extra hours of homework in to ensure he can push for a starting role when the season gets underway on July 30.
"(Yesterday) was more just trying to get an understanding of how we all play together, especially in the role I was playing in that No10 role," he told Bristol Live. "It was trying to understand where to pick up on the pitch and where they can get the best out of me and how I can help the team.
"When I came here and I spoke to the coaches, without giving too much away I don't know if the manager plays so much with the wide players where I predominantly played at Oxford so it's down to me now where I can try and find a role where I can fit in the team.
"At the end of the day, I want to learn as much as possible from everyone around me and game by game I feel I can do that. It was good to get a run out, a bit more fitness and at the end of the day, it's all about the start of the season and we're one step closer."
Sykes showed glimpses of his quality during the contest, running at the Cheltenham defenders when he had the ball, working in tandem with Kane Wilson out on the right and managing to get his crosses away when he got to the byline. Although there were moments where he drifted in and out of the contest, something that Sykes himself admits is a part of the game he is working hard on addressing.
"(the biggest challenge) Is just trying to find out where to impact the game. You don't want to get yourself lost or not be able to get on the ball or help the team out," he added. "It's not so much about staying central which I always thought, it's about trying to find anywhere on the pitch where you can impact the game and be a bit freer to play and show your talent.
"I'll watch bits of clips and stuff like that and basically watch the top players and how they play it and then learn from there."
Sykes, who opted to sign Dean Martin's classic 'That's Amore' for his City initiation, has wasted little time settling into his new surroundings in the West Country. He's already purchased a new house with his girlfriend and new daughter.
He said: "I moved house last week, I was in an apartment just recently and then I've just moved house, me, my girlfriend and little girl so my family has come over as well and my girlfriend's family is coming over next week so it's exciting times definitely and I'm really happy."
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