Blackburn Rovers: Sam Szmodics is relishing added pressure

Szmodics scored seven times in all competitions during his first season at Ewood Park after joining from Peterborough.

Rovers lost Ben Brereton and Bradley Dack, who scored 23 goals between them last term, over the summer.

Sam Gallagher is also set to miss Saturday’s opener against West Brom through injury, while new signing Arnos Sigurdsson remains sidelined.

Szmodics admits Rovers didn’t score enough goals last term and insists the squad must step up over the coming season.

“We have lost a number of goals and haven’t really replaced them yet,” he said. “We have all got to step up as a team.

“Yes, we could do with someone coming in who can score more goals, but we have got to look around the building at the players we have got.

“We probably didn’t score enough goals last season individually and I think – not just for myself – that is everyone’s target, to get the goals up and help the team.”

He added: “When I first came to the club, I struggled to score because you are getting used to things. You are worrying about how the manager wants to play and doing certain things.

“But it comes naturally to me now, what the manager wants on and off the ball. You don’t really have to overthink things, you can just play your normal game.

“When I play my free-flowing game, I will score goals. I have always scored goals. I think it is something I can do this season, step up and be the main goal threat.”

Szmodics has now been at Rovers for a full year and says he has “enjoyed every minute” of his time at the club so far.

The attack-minded midfielder admits moving clubs isn’t easy at first but says his family now feel at home in the North West.

“It feels like yesterday I did my first interview,” he grinned. “When a club like Blackburn Rovers comes knocking, it is something you just can’t turn down.

Szmodics in action against Fleetwood last month (Image: KIPAX)

“It was a tough start here. You have got to get used to the players, the manager, the fans and the location as well. But I have had some great moments and enjoyed every minute of it.

“I think when you first move to a football club, you don’t really know where you are. You are sort of picked up and put somewhere, which I was for the first couple of months.

“I have just moved and my family are all up North now, my missus and my little one. We feel really at home here now.”

Szmodics believes he has improved his game since joining Rovers and hailed the influence of working with Jon Dahl Tomasson every day on the training pitch.

“I would like to say I have matured but I haven’t, I have probably got worse because of these lads,” he joked.

“I think I have improved as a player. The manager has improved me massively. Tactically, you know what he wants on and off the ball.

“I think you can only improve when you come and play with better players in a better league, and you are playing against better opposition.

“It is another big season for us, and hopefully we can take our form at the back end of last season and keep improving.”

At 27 years of age, Szmodics is now one of the more experienced members of Tomasson’s young Rovers squad.

The midfielder is eager to have a positive impact on his younger team-mates and help fill the void left by the likes of Dack and Brereton.

“I think a lot of people would say that you hear me before you see me,” he smiled. “I am loud and an infectious guy, and I hope I can bring the young boys together and bring the team together.

“There are a lot of characters in the dressing room. We have lost two big characters in Bez and Dacky, even Dan Ayala as well, and we haven’t got many people through the door. But we have got a good group in there, a lot of people who get on really well.

“It is probably one of the only football clubs that I’ve been at, apart from Peterborough, where every single person is friends.

“Everyone gets on so well on and off the pitch and it is a really good dressing room, which is why I think we put in a good performance against Girona.

“Everyone understands each other’s games now and I think it can work in a positive way, not having loads of new players coming in.

“Everyone knows each other’s qualities and hopefully we can take that into the new season.”

The midfielder has become a popular figure among Rovers fans (Image: Camerasport)

Szmodics was pleased to return to Ewood Park against Girona last weekend and is eager to get off to a positive start against the Baggies.

“It was brilliant being back at Ewood,” he explained. “The pitch was lovely and it gets you excited for the new season.

“Although we lost, it was a good performance against a really good team. I didn’t think they were going to be that good. It was tough in the heat trying to get the ball off them!

“But it gives you that bit more excitement for Saturday when hopefully the sun is shining and all the season ticket holders are in there. The first game of a Championship season, it’s fantastic.

“I am even looking forward to sitting down and watching the game on Friday night because at the end of the day, all the players are fans as well.

“Having the football back is amazing and I am looking forward to Saturday.”

The Championship isn’t about to get any easier, with Southampton, Leeds and Leicester all dropping down from the Premier League.

“It is a tough one with your likes of Leeds and Leicester,” the former Peterborough man continued.

“There will be some good away days for the fans, but it is a tough league. We need to make sure we are on it.

“We have had a good pre-season, we have had some good tests. The tests against Accy and Fleetwood, they are tough and physical teams.

“I think we are in a good place. We have got a couple of injuries but apart from that, the camp is looking good and we are preparing for the big one on Saturday. Everyone just wants to get started.”

When asked about his goals for the coming season, Szmodics replied: “I think just the same again. We were in and around it last season, maybe we were in the top two places too much.

“It is nice to be chasing the pack and we were right in it, with people trying to chase us.

“We obviously want to be in and around those play-off places and if we could get automatics, it would be unbelievable.

“Everyone knows how the manager wants to work now, everyone knows the players and it comes hand-in-hand.

"Everyone knows their jobs and their duties now. Hopefully, we can have a good start in the first five games and set our standards for the season.”