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about the consistent form which saw him pick up the Thomas Cook Player
of the Month award for the second time this season last week.
“I
think it’s always been there,” the 22-year-old told us. “But I think
looking back at last season I played out of position a fair bit and was
the player who got shifted to the left, the right, shifted wherever to
suit the team because Sven didn’t want to leave me out.”
With a
new manager to impress and a gruelling schedule put upon himself during
a summer where Ireland didn’t go away on a holiday he is now reaping
the benefits of all round consistency.
“This year the gaffer’s
more or less kept me in the same position and I think there’s been a
lot to it. The determination is there and I’ve been really hungry this
season.
“I’m sick of not being up there with the best, I want
to prove a point, not to just the fans but to myself as well. I think
it’s important that I go from strength to strength. I don’t want go
through my career looking back and have any regrets.”
And despite
some well-documented events last season involving the young midfielder
he believes he is now maturing on and off the pitch.
Stephen stated: “As I person I think I have grown up and a lot of it is confidence as well both on and off the field.
“When
I get on the ball I don’t mind showing myself, before I’d maybe take a
touch and lay it off to the right back, then that was me thinking my
job was done.
“Now, sometimes we lose and I regret not getting
the ball, even against Hull when I set up two goals and scored one I
was really upset with my game.
“I felt I should have had more
goals and more assists. Even though it was a great result, personally I
wasn’t happy, I could have added to my game.
“I’m a perfectionist and I’m not really happy unless I have to push myself.”
After
the return of Shaun Wright-Phillips and the additions of Robinho and
Vincent Kompany over the summer, people might have thought the
Irishman’s place in the side might have been under threat, but he added
he is relishing working with such players.
“In training you keep
learning with your players day in day out. With people like Shaun and
Robinho I just know where they’re going to be, you don’t even have to
look, you just put it there and sometimes they can make a bad ball look
good as well,” he said.
“Shaun’s really hungry too and together
on that side we’ve got a good understanding. That comes from training
really, the hard part is knowing where the other players are, but
obviously the players we work with we have to be on the same
wavelength.”
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