Thierry Small interview: Proving himself on the Championship stage in a Preston North End shirt
The PNE summer signing has scored in the last two games against Hull City and Charlton Athletic
Thierry Small is loving every second at Preston North End following his move to the club this summer.
It’s been a whirlwind few months for wide man, who made the move up north after leaving Charlton Athletic. The number 26 scored against the Addicks last weekend as Paul Heckingbottom’s side triumphed 2-0 at Deepdale.
In his first season as a Championship player, Small has been a regular in the starting XI and earned his first call-up to the England Under-21 squads. He’s taking it all in his stride and is happy with how he’s adjusted to the step up in league.
“Yeah, I'm enjoying the level,” Small told the Lancashire Post last weekend. “I just think, you know, for me I always knew I could play at this level, it was just unlocking it. I'm just happy that I can show it now.”
Heckingbottom was instrumental in convincing Small that Deepdale was the right next destination for him. Having a manager who believes on him and focuses on his strengths has been a big plus; the PNE boss knows Small is a work-in-progress, but has regularly highlighted the match winning ability he possesses.
“Yeah, obviously it's really nice I've got the reassurance from the gaffer that he wants to work on me, has faith in me and trusts me,” said Small. “It's always good to keep on refining my skills on the training pitch and trying to help the team.”
One thing North End’s squad was injected with this summer was added speed and athleticism. Small has been a big part in that, with his charging runs up and down the flank for Preston a key outlet. It’s a major asset the top players have in this day and age. Small feels fortunate in that regard but it’s something he’s always working hard on.
“Yeah, I've got four massive uncles to be fair, that are very athletic!” said Small. “So, you know, I've definitely took some of them genetics. To be honest, you can never not work on your athleticism.
“A lot of it does come naturally to me, which I'm very blessed and lucky to have. But also, there's only so much luck that you can have because I do recover well. I make sure that I'm in the cryo(therapy), ice baths, saunas... I do all the right things to make sure that I can compete at this level.”
Saturday was Small’s first chat with the local press but he has been no stranger to media duty since signing. The 21-year-old was one of the latest guests on the club’s official podcast and his own ambitions were made crystal clear. While that is the ultimate motivation every day, he’s making sure to keep himself in check.
“Yeah, 100 per cent,” said Small. “For me, I want to one day play at the highest level and it's just baby steps. Keep on working hard, get my head down and you never know what can happen. But the most important thing is for me to do a job for Preston and help the club achieve success.”
Another thing that has stood out is Small’s energy and positive nature. Heckingbottom recently described him as a ‘fantastic person to be around’ while team mates have praised his charisma within the group.
“Yeah, it's just my personality to be honest!” said Small. “I like being around people. I like making jokes and I'm quite a positive character, which I'm quite fortunate to have as a characteristic. I just like making people smile and being a good person.”