Tyreik Wright: I haven't been home to Cork in two years

Aston Villa youngster is on loan at Colchester and aims to impress Steven Gerrard when loan spell finishes

Thu, 24 Mar, 2022 - 23:00

Brendan O'Brien

Tyreik Wright feels he is back on track after ‘losing himself’ at Salford City.

The aim now is to impress Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa when his current loan stint, at Colchester United, comes to a close this summer.

The 20-year old from Ovens in Cork is on his third loan spell away from Villa Park having first pitched up at Walsall last season and he has found life with the ‘Us’ more rewarding since making the switch from the northwest in January.

“When I was on loan at Salford I lost myself a bit but, ever since going to Colchester, I had a chat with myself about what I really want in the future, how bad I want it,” he said ahead of the Republic of Ireland’s crucial Euro 2023 qualifier away to Sweden next week.

Life in Essex hasn’t been all gravy.

A goal on home debut for his latest club has not led to the floodgates opening and he makes no bones about the need to find the net more, while helping others do the same, if he is to push on up the professional ranks.

Football is about far more than just the 90 minutes. Battling relegation from the fourth tier is one thing, but the 20-year old attacker highlighted the wider struggles young players can have when expanding on his Salford experience.

“I haven't been home to Cork in two years. I was missing family a lot, there have been family problems, but you have to deal with it. Most of it was game time. I feel like I should be playing every game but it didn't go that way and you move on.

“It was difficult. There were times I was on the phone, not crying but upset, to my mum. She came over (to Colchester) this week to see how I was and she was at my game on Monday. Seeing family helps a lot.” Another difficult chapter was faced last year when he was subjected to racist abuse on social media which Villa labelled “sickening and abhorrent”. There is a clear refusal not to let what he describes as “arrogant, uneducated people” drag him down.

The end goal when it comes to his football doesn’t change.

If seeing is believing then he has plenty to lean on for inspiration. Ovens has already produced the late Liam Miller who played for Celtic, Manchester United and the senior Irish team and Wright’s uncle is friends with Miller’s son.

Another guiding light is Adam Idah with whom he competed in athletics when the pair were growing up. Idah has played and scored for Norwich City in the Premier League and led the line numerous times for Stephen Kenny’s side.

Wright has taken a different path. He has 40 League Two games in his locker, which is no mean stat for a man of his tender years, and the intention is to go back to Birmingham for pre-season and catch the eye of a certain ex-Liverpool midfielder.

“Definitely, with Gerrard coming in he's given a lot of players from the academy a first-team opportunity, especially when I am going on loan and playing first-team football, I know what it takes now, I can see myself taking the leap.”