Bernard: I knew my time would come at Tigers
LOANEE WAS PREPARED TO
Di’shon Bernard admits he knew patience would be required following his move from Manchester United to Hull City in the summer. The defender, who turned 21 on Thursday last week, has started to build up a promising partnership with fellow rookie Jacob Greaves in the heart of the Tigers’ defence, and given the injury to Alfie Jones, the pair will likely be given a prolonged spell to develop their blossoming relationship.
Despite City’s poor start to life back in the Championship, Greaves and Bernard’s developing partnership has been one of the bright spots, particularly given their lack of experience.
Bernard, though, had to be patient in the immediate aftermath of his switch from Old Trafford before making his debut at Fulham after Jones picked up an injury.
“It’s been good, I came in and I knew I wasn’t going to be in the team straight away, that’s how football is,” Bernard said prior to Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Huddersfield Town.
“I knew I’d have to be on the bench a few times and give positives to the other lads starting, I knew my time would come.”
Being handed a debut at Fulham was a tough baptism of fire for the former Salford City loanee having been in League Two last term, but clean sheets against Bournemouth, Swansea City and Middlesbrough have boosted his confidence, believing he’s on the right track.
“Eventually I got in the team, had a few clean sheets which was good and the win (against Middlesbrough) was a bonus.
“I want to kick on now and get a lot of games under my belt and keep developing, I back myself, in training I put in the work.
“When you put in the work, results will come and it might not be when you want it, but you’ve got to be ready.”
While his central defensive partner Greaves is already building a reputation for his ability on the ball in bringing it out of defence, and looking for long, raking cross-field passes, that’s an area of Bernard’s game he’s looking to improve on.
“My longer passing could improve a bit. Stepping out with the ball is something I’m good at and you need to keep doing it, and people could be like ‘wow, he’s good.’
“My positioning a little bit, could do with a bit of touching up on.
“I think I’ve done well, I’ve definitely coped in this league with some of the clean sheets I’ve had and the performances I’ve had, but I know there’s more to come from me.”
While City have battled well since the season began, they’ve found themselves short in the key moments, a case proven emphatically with the way in which Mccann’s men conceded at the John Smith’s Stadium.
It’s an area causing a great deal of pain and frustration for Mccann and his players at the minute, and it’s something he and his colleagues must improve on having made the step up from League One and Two respectively, he adds.
“I feel like the competition level, the willingness to win is the same, the ability on the ball is different
“You know at Championship level, one mistake and it’s a goal because they (the strikers) have got the ability to put it away, and the difference is better which is what I needed.”