Josh Maja was named EFL young player of the month for August and the delighted 19-year-old had this to say: “I always had it in my mind that I would be involved [this season] but I wasn’t sure whether I’d be starting games,” he said. “The manager has put his faith and me and I’ve had those opportunities, and I’ve been able to repay that faith so I’m grateful [to him] for that. Scoring goals is one that comes naturally to me so as long as I’m doing that the manager is going to find it hard not to pick me but it is about working hard, staying humble and grounded and staying in the team. I think finishing is instinctive, I’ve never really worked on that as a set thing but I think as a striker you have natural things and I think that’s one of them. The one against Luton would probably be my favourite though, just because of the way we kept the ball, the way Lynden slid it through for me and it was a nice, comfortable finish for me. That’s my favourite one. As a striker on your own you have a lot of responsibility to work hard and hold the ball up for your team. If you’re playing with someone that link-up play is important, I think I can do both. It’s a very difficult league, it’s physical, it’s hard work. As a team we have started off really well and I think as long we keep playing our football, keep listening to the manager, we’ll win promotion. That’s our goal, it is about staying together as a team. We’re going to keep that confidence, Burton was just one game. There’s a lot left to play.”
In other news, Dylan McGeouch is back in training and Didier Ndong has until Friday (when the Portuguese transfer window closes) to sort his life out.
Meanwhile, Chris Maguire reckons that we have enough strength in depth to cope with Charlie Wyke’s absence and was also happy to come off the bench and score at Burton after being dropped. “I’m confident in my own ability and if I’ve got good players about me it always brings the best out of me,” said Maguire. “Last season wasn’t a year I enjoyed at football, but I seem to have got my head back on track and I’m loving every minute of it. I think it’s showed so far. Nobody’s got the right to keep their place unless they’re performing week in, week out. It’s going to benefit if it brings the best out of the players starting and that will make it tough for the boys to get in. We’ve got a great squad and if everybody pulls together, that’s what a squad’s for. It’s great to have Aiden McGeady back and it’ll only help the squad and the hunger. “He’s still a bit away fitness-wise but it’s good to get him back on the pitch and hopefully he can kick on now.”
