Cheltenham Town defender Val Adedokun has spoken about his adjustment to League Two football ahead of this weekend’s clash against Newport County.
The Brentford loanee joined the Robins on loan in January after a short spell with Hungarian top-flight club Diosgyor, where he made three appearances.
Speaking at Cheltenham’s press conference ahead of Newport away, Adedokun revealed the differences between Diosgyor, Brentford B and his current Cheltenham team.
Adedokun in action for Dundalk before being snapped up by Brentford
Adedokun ready to ‘do a job’ at Cheltenham
“Yeah, it’s different. I would describe it as men’s football,” the Irishman began. “It might not be the glitz and the glamour that people would like to see, but at the end of the day, everyone’s here to do a job. Everyone’s here to pick up points and to win games. People’s jobs are at risk at the end of the day. It’s enjoyable, you go out there, you’re playing for yourself, you’re playing for your family, you’re playing for the fans and the team. It’s good, I enjoy it a lot.”
Brentford B’s 23/24 player of the year has played just six games for Cheltenham since his tenure began in January. Adedokun has recorded one assist in the Vertu Trophy and will hope to start against Newport after firmly breaking into the first-team side.
Congratulations to our B Team Player of the Season – Val Adedokun! 🏆🐝 pic.twitter.com/i8Mufh14Fg
— Brentford Academy (@BrentfordFCPDP) May 15, 2024
“I wouldn’t say it was tough at the beginning, but obviously everybody comes here to play. It’s the reason you play football,” Adedokun explained. “You want to play the game. So when that wasn’t happening at the start, it was just a little bit different. But obviously, that’s football.
“You’ve just got to wait, bide your time. And when it did come (Making the starting 11), I think I made the most of it. And now that I’ve had a good run of games, it’s up to me to continue that. But yeah, I do feel settled.”
Adedokun prepared for an ‘Intense’ battle against Newport
Adedokun also looked ahead to Saturday’s battle against Newport County, Cheltenham manager Michael Flynn’s former side. It’s only a short trip over the Welsh border, but the derby-esque fixture will only act as an incentive for the defender.
“The crowd is more into it. The players are more into it. It just feels like there’s a lot more at stake, even though it’s the same three points that are up for play. But it just makes the game a lot more intense and a lot better.” Adedokun concluded.
The 14th placed Robins kick off at 15th placed Newport’s Rodney Road at 3 pm on Saturday. Both sides are separated by just one point, with a win possibly acting as a catalyst for the rest of the 24/25 campaign.
