Cheltenham Town midfielder Callum Wright says his team are increasingly battle-hardened to life in League One as they travel to Adams Park.
Buoyed by recent victories against Sunderland and Fleetwood, Wright thinks that he and his teammates are well equipped for the challenge of facing promotion hopefuls Wycombe on Saturday.
“I think mentally as a team we’re better prepared, because we know what’s coming in the league, no game is an easy game, we’ve learned that. So I do think we’re better prepared and as I say I think we’re more than ready to take them on.”
Midfielder Wright is currently enjoying his second loan spell with Cheltenham having initially joined in February 2021 from Premier League side Leicester City.
So far this season, he has made 19 appearances, scoring 5 goals and registering 1 assist and admits that he has relished the challenge of stepping up a division.
“I’ve enjoyed it. It’s another step, it’s another challenge but I’ve enjoyed it, I feel like I’ve embraced it. Obviously the injury, I had a couple months ago was a bit of a setback and I’ve had to get back into the routine of things. I feel like I’m back into it now and I can go out and enjoy it take on the next challenges in the last 15 or so games of the season.”
Wright is not the only loan signing from a premier league club, with Cheltenham boss Michael Duff looking to bolster his squad in order to stay in League One.
Mattie Pollock has joined from Watford and Aaron Ramsey has come in from Aston Villa and Wright admits that the added competition is no bad thing.
“New personnel, competition for places, it keeps everyone on their toes and everyone’s got to be at it when they are playing. It can only be a good thing.”
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Joining a club on loan can be a difficult experience but Wright stressed that at Cheltenham the coaching staff play a big role in making the transition easier.
“I think the coaching staff and the gaffer make it very clear what they want. Even when I came in, they sit you down they show you the videos, it’s very clear in what they want me to do. For the new lads coming in, I’m sure it was the same. It can take a bit of time just to settle in with the lads and obviously into the new team. But as I say the pictures and how the gaffer wants you to play are very clear and so I don’t think it’s too hard for the new lads coming in.”
Wright also admitted that he’d be happy to help any of the new signings if they needed it, drawing from his own similar experiences.
“If they do have any questions, they can ask, because I come from the same system as them, I’ve settled into this system and I can help them out as much as I can really.”
Cheltenham, currently sit nine points clear of the relegation zone and whilst their primary target remains safety, Wright believes their attention can be focused on teams above them rather than those below them.
“As a team, we’re not just looking below us, we are looking ahead of us and I don’t see why we shouldn’t be. We’ve more than shown that we’re capable in the last seven or eight games and also for the whole season that we can punch above our weight.”
