Blackburn Rovers midfielder Zak Gilsenan has said he’s been given a ‘lot of confidence’ after scoring on his first-team debut.
After featuring heavily in pre-season, Gilsenan was handed his first start in the EFL Cup first-round game against Walsall over a week ago, a game in which he ended up scoring the first of four goals in a 4-3 win. He also got man of the match.
Speaking to the club website, Gilsenan said: “I’d always dreamed of making my debut in front of fans. I knew the day before the Walsall game because the gaffer pulled me in to tell me I’d be starting.
“I was lost for words and so nervous, but you get into it as soon as you get your first few touches of the ball.
“It was the first time I’d ever seen my name on the back of a shirt! I was really nervous, but you can either get excited for it or not.
“Scoring that first senior goal, it was the best feeling in the world. Getting the goal and the Man of the Match, I knew my family would have been buzzing.”
Zak Gilsenan’s struggles
Gilsenan had struggled last season, after being kept out for nearly a year after suffering an anterior crucial ligament injury whilst on international duty with the Republic of Ireland’s under-19s.
After returning from injury, the 20-year-old featured heavily in pre-season, scoring two goals, one against Stockport and another against Barnsley.
Gilsenan has said that seeing other players make the way up to the first team whilst he was out injured made him more hungry to get back and make an impact.
“You watch other youngsters make the step up. I saw a lot of them train with the first team and I was just running around the pitch because I was injured, but I had the feeling I could do it and I wanted to as well.
“You learn a lot about yourself when you’re out injured, both mentally and physically. I was in the gym getting stronger and it might have been something I needed in a way, something that impacted me positively and obviously negatively.
“If you look at an injury in a bad way, it’ll affect you in a bad way, that’s how I see it. It’s made me even hungrier.
Gilsenan will how to feature once again when they face Harrogate Town in the second round of the EFL Cup next week.
Blackburn have been linked with Ross Sykes of Union Saint-Gilloise as they look to bolster their defensive options.