Town loanee Jordan Graham is excited about the prospect of playing regularly, something he was unable to do during his first temporary stint at the club five years ago.

Graham was just 18 when previous manager Mick McCarthy signed him on loan from Aston Villa in November 2013 and he only made two substitute appearances in the Championship — both wins — before returning to the Midlands at the end of the following month.

The Coventry-born winger did not appear at for Wolves after they signed him on loan late in 2014 but it did not prevent them from snapping him up on a full-time basis in January 2015, his potential not yet fully realised because of a serious knee injury he sustained 12 months later and which kept him sidelined for more than a year before he was able to make his comeback.

His Molineux contract was up in the summer but newly-promoted Wolves triggered a two-year extension clause that could keep him there until the summer of 2020, although Graham’s immediate thoughts are concentrated on nothing but trying to make an impact during his time with Town over the remainder of the current campaign.

Graham, 23, agreed it was a boost that Wolves wanted to retain his services and added: “I think the people at Wolves are quite fond of my ability when I’m able to play regularly and I’m enjoying my football.

“It has been tough with my knee injury but they have always been really supportive of me and they have really looked after me well.

“Throughout my rehab — I was out for about 14 months — they stuck by me and got me anything I needed. I think they just want me to get back to playing the type of football I was playing before the injury.

“It’s quite tough to do that at Wolves with all the changes that have taken place and with them being promoted back to the Premier League. Coming here, and hopefully playing regularly, will help me to get back to that level and will be really good for me.

“It has been massive, the changes at Wolves, and it’s kind of similar to what’s happening here. From where it was under Paul Lambert, for example, to where it is now under the new manager, staff and players, I can see similarities here.

“There are so many new players and I was told I was the 10th new signing this summer. There are new staff with new ideas as well and it’s never really going to click straight away.

“Even if you look at Manchester City and their first season under Pep Guardiola, it was tough to get things going. As we all get to know each other better it will gel and it could be a really positive season.

“Wolves just want me to get back to playing football again and enjoying it. It’s been quite a tough couple of years for me and there hasn’t been much enjoyment in that time.

“I was doing really well before I got such a severe injury, which knocked it out of me for quite a while.

“I also want to be enjoying football and recapturing my love for it again. Coming here is the first part of achieving that. It has been difficult but Wolves know me and they know I play my best football when I’m happy.

“I find it hard when I’m not enjoying the environment I’m in. Being here with a few familiar faces that I know quite well and getting back to training and working hard, hopefully playing week in and week out, my best football will come back and everything will be alright again.”

Photo: TWTD

Hamish1979 added 08:03 - Aug 30 Errrr... I hope it's a typo Phil but he seems to think Paul Lambert was manager of Ipswich? If not, he needs shooting.
0

bluelady added 08:55 - Aug 30 I think you will find he was talking about Wolves........
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls