Denham ready for when first-team chance comes
Oliver Denham 20 years old in 2mths time was released by Man United in 2020, has signed professional forms with the Bluebirds.
Oliver Denham has revealed his frustration over the injury-hit end to his time at Manchester United but is positive about what the future holds for him at Cardiff City.
Denham was signed from United in the summer of 2020 after being released by United and a positive loan spell with the Bluebirds, with Steve Morison at that time in charge of the under-23s. And while his time in Manchester could have gone more smoothly, Denham, who was speaking to his agency OmniSports ' website, said he had to pick himself up quickly following the minor setback.
OLIVER DENHAM:
“It is a great club to be a part of,” he said of the Old Trafford club. “We were very lucky to have use of the facilities that they can offer.
“My final two years there weren’t great for me because I missed a lot of time through injury. That is football, though, so you just have to take it on the chin and just get on with it. I was hoping to move on as quickly as possible, and, fortunately for me, Cardiff showed an interest very quickly.”
Speaking of his move to Cardiff, he added: “They got in contact with me and told me that they wanted to invite me to a trial, to see how I got on. I ended up going to Wales, probably a month or so after everything had started to return football-wise, and I played a few games there.
“They showed an interest in me, and I liked the way things were going down there and the opportunity that it offered, so I decided that it was the right fit. It was certainly very daunting moving four hours away from home to live in a new city, and that could have caused problems, but I have been lucky and got to know a lot of people very quickly, so they have helped me settle.
“From the staff to the other young players who were already here, to the more experienced professionals, everybody has been brilliant, and it has helped me settle really well. I now know that I made the right decision, because everyone has been so welcoming and great for me personally.”
Having stepped up from the under-23s to the first team, announcing himself in the FA Cup glamour tie with Liverpool, Denham has also penned a new deal with the club. And the 19-year-old defender revealed that transition from the youth team to the first team has been easier for him due to his relationship with Morison and Tom Ramasut and he believes he is now ready for senior action if called upon.
“Steve was the Under-23s’ manager when I first arrived here, so I was able to build a relationship with him from then and it has grown and got much stronger," he added.
“When he then made that step up to become the first-team manager, that gave me a bit of confidence that he would give some opportunities to younger players from the academy, because he knew us well and knew what he could expect of us.
“A strong relationship with a manager can have a huge impact on a player, because if you know he has trust in you, then you have that added confidence and it helps you to perform.
“[Being involved in the first team is] completely different, everything from preparing for the actual week to the recovery. I feel like it has made me more prepared so if, and when, the time does come, I’ll be focused and ready.”
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