April has proven to be quite the month for Morgan Whittaker.
And whilst being selected to represent England at Under 16s was quite an achievement in itself for the 16-year-old, for Whittaker, the strive for success did not stop there.Competing for his nation in the annual Montaigu Tournament in France, Whittaker came up against the likes of Mexico, Portugal, China and Belgium – appearing in all four of England’s games and starting the final three.
But as if that wasn’t enough, in England’s fixture against China, he really caught the eye after he netted an emphatic hat-trick to help his side to an impressive 4-0 victory.
Upon returning to Derby, dcfc.co.uk spoke exclusively to Whittaker as he reflected, game-by-game, on the entire international experience:
Game One: England 1-1 Mexico
“The first game was quite tough because what we found was, teams play a lot different against England.
“I didn’t feel as nervous as I thought I would feel coming on as a substitute. It was quite comfortable, which we surprising because I thought the occasion would make me feel a bit different.”
Game Two: England 0 – 3 Portugal (The Eventual Winners)
“It was a hard game because they were pressing very high and that disrupted our game plan.
“They didn’t score until the second half, so obviously after a solid first half, it was disappointing to concede.
“All of their goals were well worked and hard to stop, so despite losing, there were definitely positives to take.”
Game Three: England 4-0 China
“This game was a bit surreal for myself to be honest.
“I scored the first goal early in the first half, but never did I think I would get a second or even a third.
“When the ball hit the back of the net for my hat-trick, it was an over-riding of so many emotions – it’s something I can’t fully explain, even now.”
Game Four: England 0-4 Belgium
“Again, it was another tough game with both positives and negatives to take.
“Belgium scored from two set pieces and there were a couple of mistakes on our part but as whole, I felt the team played well and we all stuck to our roles set at the start.
“As good as the experience was, I’m glad that I have been able to carry my form on with the club.”
And after the whole experience, it was straight back to business at Derby for Whittaker, who scored the third and final Under 18 goal against Stoke City at Pride Park Stadium last Saturday.
Though with all his success, Whittaker knows as well as any player that it is important to keep his feet planted very firmly on the ground.
He added: “It has been a great experience and one that has given me a lot of confidence, but it is important to keep my feet on the ground.
“It’s not in my character to get carried away and I know that this is only the beginning for me.
“This experience has laid the foundations for me, but ultimately it is in the past and now is all about what I can do in the future.”
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