Youngster on loan switch to Nuneaton...
YOUNG striker, Connor Taylor has made it his target to break into The Saddlers' first-team after being sent out on loan to Blue Square Premier side, Nuneaton Town, to further his professional development.
The ambitious 20 year old joined Boro on an initial one-month loan deal last week and is delighted to be in competitive action for the Warwickshire outfit, though Taylor does admit his main goal is to impress Walsall boss, Dean Smith.
“The deal can only be good for me really, as I need to play in order to get the experience and get physically stronger and fitter,” he said. “It’s great to be playing and it’s good to get to know the lads when I can, as they only train on a part-time basis.
“It’s about progressing positively and getting game time; I want that so I can impress the gaffer here and be more involved when I come back.”
Taylor made his Nuneaton debut last weekend, playing 70 minutes in the 1-1 draw against Barrow, and the Coventry-born forward knew what to expect from the opposition after enjoying a short-loan spell at Tamworth last season.
“The Blue Square Premier is a good standard of football, not many people realise that,” added Taylor. “It was a bit of a shock last season as I was younger and everyone was bigger than me so it was intimidating.
“It’s a direct League and very physical so I’ve learnt how to deal with that by keeping the ball, but also how to get away from the big physical players.
“Kevin Wilkin [Nuneaton manager] is a big influence in doing that. He was a striker and gives me one-on-one sessions about how to pull away from defenders and finish properly, which is very helpful.”
Despite being limited to the role of unused substitute so far this season, the summer signing expressed his delight at the move which saw him join The Saddlers from Premier League, Aston Villa, with the forward-come-winger showing a sense of determination in his desire to become a household name for years to come
“All the lads here are brilliant and I love it,” he went on. “Everyone’s gelled together so well and with the mix of youth and experience, we have a tremendous balance and team ethic.
“I feel with the squad we have we can definitely reach and better our targets for this season. On a personal note, I want to play at as high a level as possible with Walsall by pushing us up the table.”