Express & Star

Walsall youngster Callum Cockerill-Mollett feeling stronger after loan spells

Callum Cockerill-Mollett believes his loan moves away from Walsall have made him physically and mentally stronger.

Published
Last updated

The 20-year-old enjoyed temporary spells in non-league with AFC Telford United and Chasetown last season.

The full-back admits he had mixed feelings when he was told he was going out on loan last year.

Now though he believes his time away has put him in a stronger position to challenge for a first-team place ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.

“I was happy in a way and I wasn’t happy in a way,” Cockerill-Mollett said about going out on loan last year.

“Obviously you want to be playing football for the club that you are at but I wasn’t playing so I was happy to go out and get some games under my belt.

“I felt like it was what I needed at the time, to go out and get match fitness and match sharpness.

“It gave me the chance to test the difference between men’s football and under-23s football.

“There is a big difference there and going out on loan helped me improve physically and mentally.

“You have got to get the result in men’s football whereas in under 23s football, you want to get a result but you don’t have to get a result.

“Non-league football is very competitive, you constantly want to be winning games and I feel I showed that kind of attitude.”

Cockerill-Mollett saw his contract expire with the Saddlers at the end of last season.

But new boss Darrell Clarke triggered a 12-month option in order to keep him at the Banks’s Stadium.

And the youngster, who made his debut on the final day of the 2017/18 campaign, is now determined to show Clarke he was right to keep him on.

“I personally feel I did well on my debut,” the defender continued. “But because it was the last game of the season, I feel as though my debut was kind of forgotten.

“It’s a new slate again now and I want to impress the manager so that I am always in his mind.

“I’m an attacking full-back who enjoys both sides of the game.

“I like to defend and I feel like that is really important for a full-back as well.

“I think in the game, some full-backs have forgotten how to defend but I feel like that is a strong point in my game.”