The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Forsyth’s Watford gap woes
FORMER DUNDEE star Craig Forsyth has admitted he feared he was out of his depth after joining Watford in the summer.
The 23-year-old felt there was more chance of him sinking rather than swimming such was the step up from the Scottish First Division to the English Championship.
Now though, having adapted to life on and off the pitch down south, Forsyth is glad he decided to sign a three-year deal with the Hornets.
He said: “It was a big culture shock for me when I first came down here.
“It was certainly different from living at home with my mum and dad in Carnoustie and having everything done for me.
“It took a while to get used to living on my own but I am really enjoying life here.
“I have a flat that is just five minutes away from our training ground and it’s only 20 minutes into Watford which is a nice place and not nearly as busy as the centre of London.
“The other big difference when I first came down here was the intensity and tempo of training.
“I am not being disrespectful at all to Dundee but the demands were a lot higher.
“After four or five weeks, I felt I was finally getting to grips with it but early on, I seriously wondered if I had made the right decision in coming here because I was struggling so much.
“But once my fitness was up to speed, I was a lot more confident that I had made the correct move.
“It was also great to get involved in the early games playing against some big teams and learning what’s required to compete in the Championship week in week out.”
Forsyth certainly made a good first impression on his new boss Sean Dyche, who selected him in Watford’s opening 16 games of the season.
Since then, though, his opportunities have been limited through a combination of greater competition for places and a desire by the boss to ensure the young midfielder doesn’t burn himself out.
With his batteries now recharged, Forsyth is hoping to finish the season the way he began it.
He said: “The first half of the campaign went really well. I played in a lot of games and scored a few goals.
To be honest, it went as well as I could have hoped.
“The second half of the season though, I have not played so much. The manager brought a couple of lads in on loan and they did really well so I couldn’t have any complaints at being left out.
“There was also a spell where we were playing three games in the space of a week for a while and it was felt it would be too much for me in my first season.
“It was frustrating but I have to see the bigger picture. Overall, the way the season’s gone has exceeded all my expectations.
“We have six games left and I will just have to keep my head down working hard and hope that I can force my way back into the team.”
Forsyth, who is now team-mates with former Dundee United midfielder Prince Buaben, stays in touch with his friends at Dens Park and he believes that having stabilised the club following last year’s administration, the Dark Blues are certain to mount a big promotion push next season.
He added: “I still speak to a few of the Dundee lads. They were all disappointed that they didn’t win for a while to put some pressure on Ross County.
“However, I think this season was all about getting the club back on a stable footing.
“It looks like they will finish second which considering everything that happened last year would be a huge achievement.”