Rising star Arvin Appiah has not looked out of place in Nottingham Forest’s first-team.
But the 18-year-old admits he has faced some challenges to get to that point.
Having previously been a regular for the Reds’ Under-23s , it has been a breakthrough season for the teenage winger.
Appiah has trained with the senior squad for much of this term and now has five appearances under his belt.
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His debut came back in October, when he came off the bench to score in a Carabao Cup defeat to Burton Albion, while his first taste of Championship action was in the 4-2 thumping of Leeds United on New Year’s Day.
Since then, boss Martin O’Neill has included him in the starting line-up for the past two games, with Appiah making his full debut at Sheffield Wednesday and holding on to his spot for last Saturday’s clash at home to Blackburn Rovers.
The youngster says it took some time to adapt to being involved with the first-team, but feels he is now “ready physically and technically”.
“At the start of the season I was with the Under-23s, playing and doing well,” he told the club’s matchday programme, before the weekend’s defeat.
“And then when I joined in with the first-team, the first few weeks were tough physically and mentally because the tempo is a lot quicker than the 23s.
“Physically, I wasn’t quite there but the coaches have helped me a lot with the gym work and I think I am ready physically and technically.”
Now he’s settled into the squad, Appiah says he makes the most of the chance to quiz the more experienced players to help him develop further.
“It is (great to train with them) and I make sure that I am always asking them questions as I want to be there some day,” the England Under-19s international added. “That is the main focus for me.”
