Teddy Jenks wants to become a leader for Simon Rusk’s under-23s.
The 18-year-old is entering his second year with the side, and wants to prove that he can be a key part of the team.
He said, “This is my second year and I definitely want to start being more of a leader, on and off the field. I need to add more goals to my game and be consistent throughout the season.
“This year I want to be a regular in the under-23s and wait for an opportunity with the first team, but I know they have got a big squad and I have to be patient.
“The only thing I can do is play my best football for Simon [Rusk]. I know what he wants from me this season.
“The under-23s is a massive part of a player’s development and you need to take every opportunity you can. If you do that, it will help you in the long-term.”
Albion travel to Tottenham Hotspur on this lunchtime for their opening game in Premier League 2, as they look to improve on a third-placed finish in last season’s Covid-curtailed campaign.
As the latest crop of players make the step-up from under-18s football, Jenks, who signed a new contract in July until the end of the 2022/23 season, expects there to be an adjustment period for the new members of the squad.
“I am always excited at the beginning of a season,” he added. “We’ve been away for longer than usual, so everyone is raring to go.
“There is a big difference between under-18s and under-23s football, but a few of them have already trained and played with us a few times so we know what they’re capable of. It’s more of a man’s game and I think some of them will be in for a shock.”
Reflecting on last season, Jenks says making his senior debut against Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup gave him the opportunity to see what was expected from him in a first-team environment.
He said, “That 90 minutes against Villa was probably the biggest education I have had in football. Being able to deal with the crowd and the pressure, it was immense.
“When you come up against big names that you see on the TV all the time you can’t be starstruck, you have got to play your own game and I thought it went well.”