Aston Villa loanee Ben Broggio on adapting to Scottish football and his Falkirk aim.
Aston Villa loan star Ben Broggio reckons he is adapting well to the rough and tumble of Scottish football after a fine start to life with Falkirk.
The winger, 19, joined John McGlynn’s side as a surprise addition on deadline day - having been recommended to the club by Scotland and Villa hero John McGlynn. He made his debut off the bench away to Livingston and has since went on to start the following six Scottish Premiership outings. Broggio has impressed, grabbing goals against Dundee and Dundee United while also grabbing an assist during the Kilmarnock thumping. He was one of Falkirk’s bright sparks against Aberdeen and St Mirren.
Aston Villa ace is loving Falkirk loan spell
Speaking ahead of this Saturday’s trip to face fourth-placed Motherwell after the international break, Broggio said: “It will be a big challenge playing away from home and they've been in great form this season, especially the last ten games. We might need to set up differently or we might have to change style to be able to adapt to that. But I think we're definitely up to it. We need to make sure that we get top six finish first, but then I definitely think as a team, we feel that we can definitely creep up on Hibs and hopefully try and get as close to them as we can as the season goes on.”
On his time with Falkirk so far, he continued: “I have come from a possession-based team at Villa and in youth football too it's a lot more structured whereas up here it's quite transitional and very much backwards and forwards. So I think that was a little bit of a shock but I knew that it was going to be like that. My body is adapting to it. I'm a lot more tired than I'd be out of possession when you are on the ball here, more than I usually would be. But yeah, it was a bit of a change.
“When I made my debut against Livingston away. The last 20 minutes… it was just backwards and forwards and I was blowing it. I couldn't believe it. But after those first couple of games, I definitely got used to it and got in the rhythm of things, which definitely made it a lot easier. I feel like each game that I'm playing, I'm more confident as each game goes by.”
Broggio is now looking to add more goals and assists to his tally before heading back down south this summer. The winger reckons he was unlucky to not pick up an assist against St Mirren last time out. This Saturday at Fir Park - he’d love to find the back of the net with his mum Penny coming to watch him in Navy Blue for the first time.
“I felt like I was really unlucky not to get at least a couple of assists last game against St Mirren, so I was a bit frustrated there,” he explained. “I want to keep getting goals and assists and I think that will help me back my case for the summer for whatever move for me next is. So hopefully I can keep doing that.
“I've been at Villa my whole life and I've lived in Sutton in Birmingham all my life as well, so moving away from home was a bit of a challenge, but I'm quite independent, so I feel like I've dealt with that quite well. My family has been up quite a lot. They're actually up this week, so they'll be there at the Motherwell game, which will be good, because my mum actually hasn't been to a game yet, so that'll be good for her.”
Meanwhile, Broggio hasn’t just been getting acquainted with the football during his spell north of the border. The winger was at club sponsor Benny T’s earlier this week alongside Ben Parkinson to try some Scottish favourites from the chippy, including the likes of Haggis and Black Pudding.
“You know what? It was actually really good,” he said. “It was a bit of a laugh going there. But now knowing what is actually in the food, it's not the most appealing. But it was actually quite nice, to be fair. I don't remember being told, no. I got a bit stitched up there!”
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