Zak Johnson was delighted to get a run out at Blackpool on Saturday, but admitted that he was a little nervous
NERVES
“I was a bit surprised, to be honest. Sometimes when you're looking at these games and you know you're a defender, you feel like the other players that are playing ahead of you are going to get the 90 minutes in the tank. So I wouldn't say that I was overly confident of coming on in the game. However, I did prepare like I was going to play any other game and when I got the call-up, a little bit of nerves, but I just felt like it was a good game to kind of see what I'm capable of against a good opposition. So I'm just delighted with how it went.”
OUTSIDE NOISE
“I feel like obviously that's just a little bit of outside noise, to be honest. Coming back from where I was in Ireland, given the time off that I had, I knew that if I come back in, whatever the plan was for me, I know that if I'm in the building, I'm going to give it 100% and try and impress the gaffer as much as I can. Obviously, I've spoken about the outside noise, I feel like if I just kept my head down, given the opportunities that I've been given like today, just try and give 100 per cent and do my best and I feel like on the back of my season out in Ireland and getting their men's games, I felt like it's shown there where I feel really comfortable against a men's opposition.”
FOCUSED
“I felt like the game went really well. I was just focused and obviously playing with Luke at the back, I feel like that's given me a lot of confidence just to focus on my own game, which is really important for me, especially as a young lad coming on. So I was delighted with how it went and I feel like all the speculation of where I'm going or how long I'm going to have off, and if I'm going to even come back with the first team, I feel like I just try to give 100 per cent wherever I was.”