Millwall winger Kris Twardek has made quite an impact since his arrival in Cumbria just before the January transfer window closed so we caught up with him to talk about what has been a whirlwind week.
“I was fortunate enough to start the first game and after that it’s just about keeping my place," he said. "It was really good of the manager to put me in the team from the get-go.
"To get the man-of-the-match award in my first game was special. I came here to feel that professional environment, in terms of getting games under my belt and have the fans lifting you up and playing in front of people. I think it’s important to do that and be able to express your game and the way you want to play.
“I think every time you start a game, especially at a new club, managers will always tell you to keep it simple in the first few minutes and get your bearings in a game. If you do that it gives you something to build off and you can try and express yourself."
With the club sending full match coverage back to the Lion's Den after every game, he confirmed that his management team were keeping a close eye on his progress.
“Kevin Nugent, the new U23s manager at Millwall, came to the Wycombe game on Saturday," he told us. "He gave me some positive feedback and it’s nice to know they’re there keeping an eye on me and monitoring what I'm doing.
“It's great at MIllwall but being part of a club with a good fan base and good history is something I’m enjoying as well. We’re close enough to the play-offs to still have that belief, so it’s a perfect club for me to be at really.
“The fans have been great with me but I think in football, when things are going well, you have to realise it can all change quickly. I just want to maintain a decent level of performance and be consistent so the fans will continue to have a good reaction to how I play."
As for what happened at Adams Park at the weekend, he told us: “I’ve never experienced a game like that. At 2-0 down, away from home, you know that it’s going to be tough.
"The manager said at half time that if we could get one goal we would be right back in it. To get a red card on top of that doesn’t get much better.
"To then go on to be winning 3-2 against the team which is second in the league, with the way the game had gone, was like something out of a movie. Obviously we lost the two late goals and that was devastating.
"I was off the pitch by that point, but I just kept looking at the clock hoping the time would tick away. As soon as it hits the 90th minute you always get a realisation that something could happen, because the added time seems to spring everybody to life again. They knew there wasn’t much time left so they pushed for a goal."
“Although I would have loved to have got a goal, I think for the team’s sake it was better that their player stopped it on the line and got sent off," he admitted. "It led to a goal as well as the red card, so it probably worked out as the best case for us at that point.
“If I can get a goal it will be great, but I’m happy enough to set up goals and create chances. Whatever is best for the team, and as long as the team are doing well and I’m contributing to it, that’s all I can ask for really."
And he also confirmed that he's finding the experience to be a rich one so far.
“I can definitely feel myself learning already," he said. "I’m getting games and experiencing that first team culture, which is what I wanted.
"Every time I was at a Millwall game, whether that be on the bench or just missing out as the 19th man, I was looking at the starting eleven and thinking I would love to be there.
"I was trying to do everything I could to be in that position. Experiences like this will only help.
“We’ll be going into every game looking for the three points and hopefully that can start on Saturday.”
Click HERE to watch an interview with Kris Twardek on iFollow United now.
