JORDAN SMILES BETTER NOW!
HITMAN HAPPY BACK IN SKY BLUES FOLD AFTER PARK STRIFE
It’s been very difficult but it’s part and parcel of football and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
Jordan Ponticelli
BACK in the fold at Coventry City, Jordan Ponticelli is doing what he’s always wanted to do – score goals for the Sky Blues. That may be in the Under-23s at the minute following a frustrating loan spell at Tranmere Rovers, but the 21-year-old’s ambitions at the club remain as firm today as they did the day he signed.
“It was just nice to get some minutes again because it’s been quite a stressful couple of months for me, so a bit of game time is always nice, especially when you get a goal as well,” he said, reflecting on Monday’s goal as a second half substitute that gave Luke Tisdale’s development side a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw with Cardiff City at the Alan Higgs Centre.
Ponticelli was limited to just three appearances at Prenton Park before being recalled last month.
“It’s been very difficult but it’s part and parcel of football and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t,” he said, “but I think I have handled it well.
“I am still the same old me, just probably a bit stronger mentally. I’m pushing through it now and hopefully there are a better few months ahead.”
So what went wrong?
“I had a few one-to-ones with the manager (Micky Mellon) and he’s a great coach who knows his stuff,” he said.
“There must have been a reason but I worked hard every day. There was no attitude reason why I wasn’t playing.
“I felt I was good enough and I still feel I am good enough now, but it’s been very frustrating and that’s all I can put into words about it really.
“But it’s been a good learning curve as well.
“I did get something out of it, learned from another good coach for a few months and obviously being away from Coventry. I’m a Cov lad and been away from home which has been good experience for me.”
He added: “I didn’t sulk. If you do that you don’t get anything out of it. “There are days when you are frustrated and annoyed and you just have to go in and train hard again, and that’s all I have done for the past six months.
“I believe that if you do that your rewards will come because people will see that, so you don’t let disappointment get you down too much because people overtake you, and you can’t let that happen. So I didn’t let it get to me too much.”
Now back home, he’s settled straight back into life at Coventry City .
“I’ve loved it,” he said. “Since I have been back I have probably smiled a lot more than I have for the last six months.
“It’s nice being back and seeing all the lads and the coaches. And to come back and see them doing so well is really nice, especially when they’re all your pals. So it’s been very nice being back.”
Asked if he’s looking to go out on another loan or stay and fight for a place in Mark Robins’ first team, he said: “Again, I am working hard every day so regardless of whether I play or not I still feel that I am fit enough and can score goals.
“But I need to be playing and I want to be playing, just to progress my career a bit more.
“My end goal is to be playing No.9 for Coventry City.
“I’d love to do that at my home town and scoring goals for the fans. I might need to do a bit more to get to that stage, which I have to accept, but we are taking it day by day at the minute.
“If a loan deal comes where I would play then I would be stupid not to take it.”
Ponticelli is clearly enjoying being back at such a happy camp as the club push for promotion.
“I have come back and it’s all smiles from the lads,” he said.
“You watch them on a Saturday and the lads are doing tremendously well. They were doing well in pre-season but I never thought they’d be doing as well as they are doing now.
“They are doing great, everyone is happy around the camp and it’s working well with a lot of happy players.”