Oar Not Fazed By Competition for Places Friday, 11th Sep 2015 06:00 New winger Tommy Oar is not fazed by the competition for places at Town this season and is backing himself to win a regular first team berth. The 23-year-old Australian said: “I guess it’s always good to have that. Lots of competition is always healthy for the team and it’s a long season with a lot of games, so I guess we’re going to have to use the whole squad if we’re going to be pushing for promotion this year. “Right now things are out of my control and I’m just going to try to adjust as fast as I can by impressing in training or whenever I get an opportunity in the team. “I’m confident in my ability and that I will impress but it’s only a positive that we have many good players vying for places and that is going to hold the club in good stead between now and the end of the season.” Oar can’t wait to put into practice what he learned during five years with Dutch club Utrecht, leaving Queensland at the tender age of 18 in what he saw as a vital step in the right direction towards fulfilling his long-term aim to play at a high level in England. He added: “When I went to Holland I was working on my development. I was really happy with how it went there but my main goal was always to come here. “I guess after the World Cup last year and then going into the off-season this year was the sort of time I was looking to make a move. In the end I’m here and I’m very happy with the way things have worked out. “It was a big move to leave home at 18 but from a football perspective it was always an ambition of mine to not only come to England but also play in Europe and play for the national team. Going to Holland increased my chances of doing that. “Although it was a big decision, from a football point of view it was a real no-brainer. My family have always been very supportive and it helped that I went to Holland with another two Australian boys from my old team over there. “That helped to ease the transition and while the first two or three months were a bit of a shock to the system after that I settled in very quickly. “It was all part of growing up as a person, as well as a footballer. In Australia the style of football is quite similar to here, very direct and very physical, and I enjoy playing in that environment. “Going to Holland taught me more about the technical and tactical side of the game, which is something I wasn’t really exposed to playing in Australia. I’m hoping I can use that to my advantage coming here.” Oar was asked to describe himself as a player and he responded: “I think I’m very direct and I like to put early crosses into the box, that’s probably my main strength. I like to take on my opponent and deliver good balls into the box. “I also get back and help the full-back. I am used to that with the Australian national team. We also have a very high work-rate so it’s not something that is foreign to me.” It was Oar who decided against extending his stay in Holland and knocked back other offers — a Middle East club showed an interest — while a move to Athletic Bilbao broke down before he joined Town. He added: “My main focus was always to try and get to England. “There were a lot of things that came up that weren’t suitable, things I didn’t want to pursue, but when the chance to join Ipswich came up I jumped at it. “The time was right to come to England. When I moved to Holland five years ago I had it in my head that it was a development move rather than going to play out my career there. "The coaches there are fantastic and I had a great coach for the whole time I was there. I learned a lot and hopefully I can showcase over here all the things I learned.”
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