Ryan Kent spoke to the media this morning at Oakwell.
The winger has started off 2017 in blistering form with a stunning goal against Leeds at Oakwell, before setting up the winner in the South Yorkshire derby against Rotherham just a week later.
Firstly, Kent spoke of how his season and form for the Reds has gone during this campaign.
“I’m thoroughly enjoying it at the moment, we’ve been in good form prior to the Wolves performance, we were disappointed with that because we didn’t show a good reflection of how we’ve been playing recently. We had back-to-back derby wins which I enjoyed, I was happy to get on the scoresheet against Leeds.”
Kent has started the most games out of the outfield players at the Club this season and he feels pleased to have that record. Along with that, he has seen some new faces come into the squad recently.
“It’s pleasing, a few big names have left the Club so all the players knew we had to step up and keep the performances and results going, I think we’ve done that. Everyone had to step-up, the intensity has increased in training and everyone knows what they have to do until the end of the season.”
Kent was asked about how he has found Championship football this season. The winger has made the same step-up as his teammates after playing in League One on-loan at Coventry City during the last campaign.
“A lot, it has been a big learning curve for me to adapt to Championship football. It’s quite intense, there are sometimes games two times a week and it is quite demanding, especially for me as a young player. I am still learning and enjoying myself.
“Different games have different diversity’s. Some teams like to play, some teams don’t and we saw that at the weekend against Preston. It was very route one and it wasn’t an enjoyable game to be part of, but that’s what we have got to adapt to and change the way we play against teams like that to try and get the result we need.”
Kent has scored two goals this season, both in big matches against Yorkshire rivals. The latest came in the 3-2 win over Leeds United at Oakwell just a few weeks ago and he spoke of how he wants to continue to add more goals and assists to his game.
“It meant a lot to me, on a stage like that to score a goal was a big moment in my career so far. I just hope I can keep scoring goals now and adding numbers to my game. I followed the goal up with an assist against Rotherham the week after. For me it is important to do that because as a forward player that’s what people are looking at now and that’s what the managers want from their players, the numbers on the sheets. At the end of the day, that’s what you get picked for to score goals and get assists because it’s my job.”
Kent was then keen to praise Reds Head Coach Paul Heckingbottom on the influence he has had on his early career.
“He has had a big impact on my performances and the way I am around the training ground. He’s a good manager and a good person, very understandable and reasonable with everybody, he’s honest with everybody and it’s important to have somebody in the staff room like that.
“For a manager like that it’s important to have young players who enjoy playing football and enjoy turning up to training every day to work at their hardest, because they know that they have got their career in front of them, it’s not coming to an end. Everyone is hungry for it still, hunger and determination runs through this squad.”
View Ryan Kent's press conference in full on Barnsley Player HD!
