Jake Garrett hopes a starring role in the Carabao Cup can be his route back into the starting XI as it did earlier in the competition.

The tough-tackling teenager made his senior debut in the second round win at Bradford City, earning praise from Jon Dahl Tomasson who then handed him his Championship bow against Boxing Day opponents Sunderland in October.

Garrett won praise from the head coach for his display in the 2-1 win at Bradford City, impressing Tomasson with his quality on the ball, alongside his tenacity out of possession.

Garrett was given the responsibility of a starting spot against Burnley in last month’s East Lancashire derby, and hopes more opportunities are on the horizon, believing his cause will be helped by a strong showing against Nottingham Forest tonight.

“I knew in pre-season that I knew I needed to work on a few things that he wanted, but I felt from that Bradford game that I was getting used to what he wanted,” the 19-year-old explained.

“I was playing well in training as well and was the lightbulb moment that I had the chance this season.

“I know what I need to do and what he expects, it’s about me putting it out there.”

Central midfielder Garrett was a regular in pre-season, but had to be patient for his opportunity in the first-team.

He always felt that would come with hard work, having set his heart on making the grade at Rovers rather than going out on loan, a decision he feels has been vindicated.

He added: “This year for me was about getting first-team football and I feel that I’ve had that.

“I have played a few games, last season it wasn’t really my time.

“The loan situation, I didn’t want to go out on loan, I wanted to stay here and work hard and learn what the gaffer wanted from the team and I feel I’ve benefited from that.”

Tomasson has been clear with his demands on each player in a bid to keep competition within the squad strong.

“We know in training what the gaffer wants and what the team is looking to do,” Garrett added.

“We know what’s expected.

“There’s a lot of games so everyone needs to be ready if we get the call up.

“Injuries can happen, form, so everyone is on board and showing in training, putting in the hard work so we’re ready for the games.”

Training sessions and intra-squad matches have offered fringe players the chance to catch the manager’s eye, but Garrett knows there’s nothing like the pressure of a first-team game to stake a claim.

“Every day is a really good opportunity for me on the training pitch, but I need to take my opportunity,” he said.

“Since the gaffer has come in I knew that I’d get an opportunity and I had to stick around.

“The start was quite difficult for me but I’ve stuck at it, worked hard.

“When you get the opportunity you have to take it and show what you can do, which I feel I have done.

“This is another opportunity for lads like me to show the gaffer what I can do and if they need me I can come in straight away.”

The Carabao Cup run has been good to Garrett, the competition giving him his debut, as well as his standout moment so far, scoring Rovers’ 10th penalty in the epic shoot-out win over West Ham.

His display off the bench in that game saw him rewarded with a start in the East Lancashire derby, albeit one that would end in disappointment.

 

“The Burnley game was one of the biggest experiences for me, it put me under real pressure, and it made me realise what levels there are, where you need to be,” he said.

“It wasn’t a good day but it was one where I knew what I had to do to get to the next level.

“It’s football, you can’t win every game, and it made me think that’s where I need to get to.

“It was disappointing for us because we wanted to win, I’m a competitive person and I know it’s big for the fans but it made me realise the expectations of a high level team.”

Sam Szmodics was due to start at Turf Moor, only to be ruled out by injury, with Tomasson then turning to Garrett, something the midfield felt was a big vote of confidence.

He added: “I feel I did get his trust, I knew it was a big game and knew I had to perform.

“It was difficult on the day but he knows that I will put my body on the line for the team, and he knew I would put my heart into every tackle.

“It didn’t go our way but it was a good experience for me.”

A standout of Garrett’s play is his tackling, something he demonstrated minutes into his first real taste of the senior team in a friendly with Leeds United in the summer of 2021.

He got more chances to impress in the most recent pre-season, before Tomasson handed him his senior bow.

As well as the low of the Burnley defeat, Garrett was also shown a red card for a strong challenge only moments after coming off the bench at Coventry City last month.

That decision was later rescinded, but that still has provided a learning curve for Garrett.

“I’ll be honest it was tough at first, it did hit me hard,” he said.

“That’s me as a person, I’ll put 100 per cent into every tackle, that’s how I’ve been since I was a kid.

“If I go in half-hearted then I’ll come out injured so I’ve always been 100 per cent.

“Now that’s happened I’ll still be that same person, but I’ve got to realise in certain situations about staying on my feet, what’s the better option, so that’s what I’ve realised.

“It’s about maturing. Do you really need to nail someone in the middle of the pitch?”

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