Mads Frokjaer interview: Preston North End 'fresh air', Paul Heckingbottom detail and goal scoring

Mads Frokjaer knows Preston North End had to work hard, and ride their luck at times, for Saturday’s point at Middlesbrough.

In the end, though, the Dane didn’t believe PNE were undeserving of the 1-1 draw they took away from the Riverside. It was the 25-year-old who slotted home the equaliser, on the volley, just before half-time - a calm and composed finish from the number ten, who was brought back into the side. Frokjaer made no mistake with his one golden chance and now has a pretty simple goal for himself.

“My last season in Denmark, I scored from like six from my last nine shots,” said Frokjaer. “I have to shoot some more and then see if the percentage maybe drops a bit. But yeah, being a bit more dangerous - I know that is why they mostly want to play me, to help the team create chances. Sometimes I have to be a bit more selfish and go for the shot. Three goals last season was alright, but not the best. The biggest thing for me is just getting more shots away.”

Frokjaer is speaking to the media pitch side after the first match, post-international break. North End had two weeks on the training pitch with manager Paul Heckingbottom - who was thrust straight into a three game week after being appointed on August 20. The Dane believes it’s been a valuable period and has found the approach of the management team to be refreshing, so far.

“It’s tough to say, it’s just fresh air for everybody,” said Frokjaer. “Even for the lads who didn’t play as much last season and the new lads coming in, everybody just gets a fresh start and new opportunities to show themselves. So yeah, I feel like it’s been good. Everybody seems happy to be fair. I would say it is a bit more detailed. With the former staff here, it was more up to us players - especially with the ball.

“It gave us the freedom to do what we thought was the right thing to do. Which, for players like me, I sometimes enjoy. There is still freedom here, but I feel like everything is a bit more detailed - which can be good and bad. But again, a fresh start, something different - I feel like that’s what you need if you want to go in a new direction. It is a different style, so it keeps you on your toes.”

Preston signed five players in the summer: Jeppe Okkels, Stefan Thordarson, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Sam Greenwood and Josh Bowler. Frokjaer sees plenty of quality within the current squad, and players he will enjoy sharing the pitch with.

“Yeah, I feel like most of us this week - especially after Josh also came in - have been looking around in training and seeing 22 senior players now,” said Frokjaer. “So, it is a good squad. All have played at a high level... good players, some technical players - in the last third as well. It’s a different squad from last season, but it’s good for competition. Hopefully it just makes all of us better.”

And, after a turbulent start to the season to say the least - with Ryan Lowe having left after one game and caretaker Mike Marsh departing after two - the Dane hopes Preston can find some consistency over the coming weeks and really get the 2024/25 season going.

“Yeah, I think that’s for everybody, myself included,” said Frokjaer. “It has been a weird start. I don’t think anybody expects these kind of things to happen, when you go into the first game of the season. But, sh-- happens. You just go on, it’s part of life. You cannot expect to know everything that’s going to happen, so just keep your mood high and move on.”