Ben Whiteman, Wrexham’s 30-year-old summer signing midfielder, just dropped a truth bomb: that extended international break, a three-week gap without a game, felt “surprisingly, quite tough, actually.” He was itching to get back to Championship action, and honestly, who can blame him?
Three Weeks Felt Like Forever For This Guy
The Rochdale-born defensive midfielder, who’s played every single minute of Wrexham’s last seven games, confessed that coming into training with zero game to look forward to felt like something was seriously missing. Whiteman is a huge believer in training *for* a game, not just to train. “You train to play, really,” he said. “When you get that amount of time off, you’re itching to get back for the next game.” Even though those three weeks did give him a chance to recover from some brutal, lengthy away trips Wrexham has had over the past few months, the lack of an immediate game on the horizon was a real challenge for a player who loves the tactical side and preparing a game plan. He admitted that first week was a lot of resting, but the overall feeling of not having a match was tough.
Derby is Just the Beginning, and Wrexham is Fired Up
Now, though, it’s “part and parcel of the job,” as Whiteman put it, and it’s all about Derby County this Saturday. Wrexham rolls into Pride Park with serious swagger after that last-gasp win over Southampton. Yeah, that victory will be 21 days old by kickoff, but who cares? Whiteman is adamant that beating one of the “top sides in the division” like Southampton cannot be overstated as they head into a crucial block of Championship fixtures. That win was “massive for us and our confidence,” he said, adding that it “was really needed.” This dude is locked in, not looking past Derby, and definitely not reflecting on his own start to life in north Wales, despite his 224 appearances at his former club, Preston.
It’s a huge three-game week, kicking off at Derby, then back-to-back home clashes against West Brom on Tuesday, October 13, and then Preston on Saturday, October 17. Whiteman’s message is crystal clear: “You have to take it one step at a time. It’s a three-game week, and we have to look to get maximum points if we want to be successful.” He knows Derby brings good players and an experienced manager, saying there’s “no easy game in the Championship.” But Wrexham is going in “full of confidence” after that Saints win. Forget individual accolades; Whiteman isn’t about that. “I’m not a massive believer in individuals, to be brutally honest. I don’t really care, as long as we win a game,” he flat-out stated. “We all want the same thing, and that’s to be promoted out of this division. I’m much more concerned about how we are doing as a team.”
So, Wrexham fans, get ready! Saturday’s trip to Derby is just the start of a monumental week, and with Whiteman and the squad this fired up, you know they’re coming for those points.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply