How are you doing, and how do you feel about your and the team’s preparedness for the season?
We've been training really hard. Just been building towards the season, but we're all looking forward to it, we've all been putting in the work. So we're just raring to go now, we're excited for the first game.
What were your takeaways from the 2022 season after coming on in June and reintegrating yourself after time spent with the Rovers?
You know, it's always difficult joining a club sort of halfway through a season. So although I was here a couple of years before, I found it difficult to try and transition again. But I'm looking forward to getting a full preseason under my belt, and hopefully get better performances. And hopefully we can do better than what we did last year, in terms of achieving playoffs and going on a good run.
When you returned to the Rapids, how was getting back into the rhythm of the team and connecting with teammates and technical staff?
It was obviously really good because I had a good relationship with a lot of them. So it was just trying to reconnect and get back on the same page because we hadn't played with each other in a while. The team had changed a little bit so I was just sort of getting used to it but everyone was really welcoming. I have no complaints to be honest. Everyone was really good.
What are you hoping to see come out of your individual play this season?
Probably just contributing more in terms of goals and assists. I think last season I was sort of always thinking, “Someone else is going to score,” or “Someone else is gonna get an assist,” whereas I think if all of us forward-thinking players think, “Oh, maybe I can be the one that's helping somebody else,” or “I can be the one that scores,” I think we will score more as a team. It’s sort of a mindset thing.
I think last year I was comfortable knowing that someone else was going to do it, instead of actually trying to do it myself. So I think this year it's got to be a bit more positive thinking in terms of contributing to the team.
As a player, what do you want both fans and teammates to know you for?
First and foremost, I want to be known as someone that if I'm having a bad game, I'm not going to just give up. I have had plenty of bad games in my career, but for example, if I play a bad pass I’m not going to get really upset. I've always worked hard for the team, regardless of if I'm playing well, or if the team is playing well. And that's something my dad instilled in me as a young boy. So I think that's the main thing, as long as people know I'm not going to give up, I’ll at least give everything for the team. I think that's an important trait to have in everyday life, to be honest. So that'd be an important one for me.
Heading into the season, what message do you want to send to Rapids fans?
I think myself and all the players included, we want to try and have a stronger connection with the fans. When there's a distance between fans and players, conversations after games can be difficult because you don't know each other. Whereas in the UK, when you've seen people that many times that you grow confident and you end up having those good connections. So being comfortable and familiar with the fans. Because at the end of the day, we're all humans, they're humans. Just because we are on the pitch doesn't mean we're different.
