Loanee Tyrese Fornah eager to deliver for Shrewsbury Town

The London-born 22-year-old moved to Shropshire on a temporary switch from Nottingham Forest in January.

He has already started four matches in Steve Cotterill’s midfield and been used as a substitute on a further two occasions. He is set to be in line for regular action, continuing at Burton today, with David Davis injured and Josh Vela suspended.

Fornah arrived at Shrewsbury in January with suitable experience of League One, with more than 40 appearances for Plymouth under his belt from last season, and has also had a brief spell in the second tier of Portuguese football.

The athletic midfielder is well thought of at the City Ground, where Cotterill used to manage, and has unwavering belief in his ability.

Fornah said: “I want to be one of the best midfield players about in the country my age.

“To do that you have to be able to play all sorts of different positions in there, whether it’s (as a) six, eight or 10 (role), it doesn’t matter to me, it’s about giving my all.

“For me a midfield player should be able to play anywhere in midfield, it’s about doing my job, running up and down and trying to replicate what the gaffer wants.

“I learn a lot from them (Town’s other midfielders), they don’t need to say much to me. It’s just about watching them and seeing what they do and try to be the best I can be, to express myself as well.

“I’m very happy but I’m still learning. I’m 22, still learning the game and trying to improve and being the best I can on the training pitch, trusting the gaffer, staff and boys here to know what they want from me.”

Former Brighton youngster Fornah, who made his Championship debut for Forest earlier this season, played five matches for Casa Pia in Liga Portugal 2 from January 2020 – but that move was cut short due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

For Fornah, the experience of travelling to sample continental football was important in his development.

“I felt for me I want to be used to the continental way of playing. I want to play in the big leagues, the Premier League and Champions League and you see so many players come over here used to continental football,” he added.

“So it was trying to be used to that but replicate my style as well, that was important to me so I can’t thank that club enough.

“There was the language barrier, obviously, but other than that just how fluent they try to play football and do things. Even if it didn’t come off, their belief in the process and system, if things go wrong that is their instruction and they don’t go away from it.

“I think that’s good because if you have a principle you should stick with it. It was good to go and experience something different because you never know where you can be in a few years.”