Amond enjoys guiding City’s rich young talent
EXPERIENCED striker Padraig Amond has said that Exeter City dressing is one of the best that he has been in – and that everyone within the squad is keen to learn.
The 33-year-old veteran is on loan at St James Park from Newport County, and has made nine appearances so far for the Grecians, but has yet to score.
However, the Irishman said that he is loving his time in Devon and feels that he is providing a vital role in mentoring what is a young squad – and that when he does have his chance in the team, he plans to take it.
“It is a young squad and they are very good at listening,” Amond said of his mentoring role. “When they ask questions, they listen to what you are saying and take it on board and you can see them putting it into practice.
“The one thing Exeter has done in previous years is bring young players through the academy and they keep managing to turn them out, and they are not just listening to me, but the other experienced players, the managers, the coaches, as they know the way football works.
“I am enjoying it, the young players want to learn, are constantly asking questions, and if they think there is something I should be doing, they tell me, as you are never too old to learn.
“I have been in a few dressing rooms that have been successful and this is up there, and the working environment created means everyone enjoys training every day and there is a good rapport between the fans and the players.”
Amond has made five starts so far since his August arrival – four of them in the league – as well as four appearances off the bench, but while he understands the form of Sam Nombe and Matt Jay is making life hard for him to break into the starting XI, it is at the front of his mind when he is given the chance.
“It is not just me but everyone is pushing Monday to Friday in training,” Amond said. “The starting eleven is only as good as the subs who back them up, and players are pushing them every day in training.
“I want to be starting and not coming off the bench but the one thing it does show is that when training, if it doesn’t look like you are being in the starting eleven, then watch the player in your position and the runs they are making and how to help, and then watching on Saturday and looking at the weaknesses in the opposition and how you can affect the game, and when I have come on, I have done that.
“I want to be the one starting – but the lads up front have been fantastic for us, so I can’t have any complaints. You have to wait for your chance – and when I get that chance – I will take it.”
The Grecians are currently unbeaten in 16 games, prior to last night’s winner-takes-all Papa John’s Trophy clash with Bristol Rovers, which is the longest streak in English football, as is the 15 without defeat on home turf.
With a cup games and two league games to come on home turf, Amond admits this is a vital period of the season and a chance to progress and keep the momentum going.
“It is nice for the fans to not have to travel around the country for a couple of weeks,” he said. “We are sitting in a good position in the league, so the next four games give us an opportunity to keep the run going. It is about doing what we have done and keeping ourselves in games and making sure we don’t get beat and fingers crossed we can keep it going for a while.
“It is a big couple of weeks with the games at home, so if we string a few wins together, we are in a really strong position.”