Austin Samuels enjoyed playing inside a packed Parkhead for Aberdeen – now he wants to take Caley Thistle back on to the Scottish Premiership stage.
The striker, who joined Inverness from Wolves last month, had a loan stint at the Dons earlier this season and coming off the bench in a 2-1 defeat against the Glasgow giants was memorable.
🔜 Up next we face Partick Thistle at home this Wednesday
Match Info👉 https://t.co/632xXDYZdl pic.twitter.com/eGACfeXKHQ
— Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (@ICTFC) February 7, 2022
And Samuels, who made his full debut in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against Morton, hopes he can use his 18-month spell in the Highlands as a successful one to take ICT back to the top-flight.
He said: “It was a good experience at Aberdeen, playing in some big games against some good teams.
“There were more expectations at Aberdeen than at any of my previous clubs down south.
“I’ve enjoyed all of my experiences in football so far and, hopefully, looking back on my career, they will all have contributed to whatever success I have in the future.
“Playing in front of those fans at Celtic Park was probably the most I’d ever played in front of.
“I started the home game as well against them – which was a big game with a terrific atmosphere.
“It has definitely given me a taste for it and a desire to get back there, but my main target at the moment is focusing on what I’ve got to do, what the team has to do, right now.
“Playing in the Premiership is the main target for me and all of us here, but my only thought is taking Inverness up and playing there with this team.”
Wins matter more than own displays
Despite the defeat against Morton, 21-year-old Samuels was reasonably happy with his own contribution, with some dangerous deliveries for team-mates almost proving fruitful.
However, he insists it’s results which matter most as third-placed ICT host Partick Thistle tonight in a game where a defeat would see them overtaken in the table.
He said: “Overall, I was quite happy with my performance against Morton, but obviously I want to give more.
“I want to try and have those performances but turn them into wins. At the end of the day, people will look at whether Austin has helped them win the game, has he scored?
“It is alright having a good game, but it needs to be about winning games.”
Samuels aims to put speed to fine use
When asked about his deliveries into the box, he added: “I’m not too bad at crossing the ball, with my left or my right.
“My pace is another asset. I did athletics for a while from my last year in primary school, but that was always just a hobby until I was 14 or 15 – it was always all about football for me.”
Doesn’t matter how the win arrives
Although the forward is just settling into life in the Highlands, he’s enjoying the pace and energy of work at training. Now he wants to deliver results for the fans.
He added: “Life in the Highlands isn’t too bad – a bit chilly with the wind. Overall, it has been good.
“Training has been good and I’m feeling sharp. I got my first 90 minutes the other day.
“I’m optimistic, really. We just need to get some wins on the board and get ourselves on a run.
“The first win, it doesn’t really matter how it comes. We just need to dig it out and, from there, we can look to start dominating games and climbing the table.
“We want to be at the top, not sitting third or fourth.”
Main ambition is to win promotion
Samuels insists he’s not going to announce any personal goal targets because that in itself can add pressure. As long as Inverness are winning, that’s the priority for the striker.
He said: “You have personal goals – sometimes you want to discuss them, sometimes you don’t.
“My main ambition is to help the team get promoted. We want it to happen this season, obviously.
“As far as goals go, I’ll take it as it comes. I’m desperate to score goals but I think the less you think about scoring sometimes the more it happens.
“It can be a tap of your knee or head and you end up going on a run.”
Wolves grounding strong for striker
As well as progressing through the system at Wolves, Samuels experienced loans moves with Bradford City and Kidderminster as well as Aberdeen.
He is sure that experience at a major club like Wolves will stand him in good stead for the future.
He added: “It was good coming through the ranks at Wolves.
“When you’re younger, you think you’ll be there forever, but as you get older you realise that pathways are different for players.
“Overall, it was a good experience, good development and I met some great people – enjoyed myself.”