TYRHYS Dolan will continue to look and learn after a whirlwind start to his Blackburn Rovers career.
The exciting 18-year-old prospect, signed from Preston North End in July, has already scored for the first team and made his professional debut in the Caraboa Cup win over Doncaster Rovers last weekend,
While Dolan is expected to spend more time with the Under-23s squad this season, he says he wants to show he can step up in to the first team set-up - and speaking and listening to senior players is proving to be valuable.
And while the young forward shows little signs of lack of self belief, he also admitted getting the call from Tony Mowbray to feature against Doncaster was a big boost to his confidence.
"It's great being with the older lads and learning from them and getting the advice from them," he said.
"I never feel nervous when I'm with the first team. I know that all the lads believe in me and that gives me the confidence boost to go out there, enjoy myself and have the freedom to play.
"That's so important. I feel so free when I go out there on the pitch and it feels like I'm just playing an ordinary match.
"I've never panicked since I've been with the first team and the boss has belief and trust in me which is also a real confidence boost."
He added: "I've been speaking to my parents about the experience so far and we've just been saying how everything's happened so fast, but it's now about showing that I deserve to be in the first team mix and making an impact for the benefit of the team."
While Dolan was released from Preston, he certainly made an impression on Rovers in the two games he featured against them last season - grabbing an assist in the Lancashire FA Senior Cup semi-final in January and scoring in the FA Youth Cup fifth round tie at Ewood Park a month later.
Now less than two months later, he has quickly settled in to life at Ewood Park and is certainly making the most of his first team exposure.
He featured in the pre-season game at Fleetwood Town, scored against Blackpool before he was given a second half run-out in the 3-2 cup win over Doncaster.
"It was a dream to get my first goal in the first team at Blackpool, but the biggest thing for me first of all is just being able to come on and make an impact in these early games," he told the club's official website.
"I've come in and hit the ground running and I want it to continue.
"Every day I've come in and been desperate to impress and show the gaffer exactly what I can do."
It's fair to say it's been quite a couple of months for talented teenager Tyrhys Dolan.
The young forward made the switch to Rovers at the beginning of July following his departure from local rivals Preston North End.
Less than two months later and the 18-year-old has been training with the first team, featuring in the early pre-season games and made his professional debut after coming off the bench against Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup.
“Let’s be honest, I’d never seen Tyrhys Dolan play other than watching the youth cup game against Preston here (at Ewood Park),” said the Rovers boss.
“He didn’t jump out at me as a superstar that day. He was brought because my recruitment department brought it to me and I supported my recruitment department.
“Basically they wanted to sign this young kid from Preston and it was a case of ‘let’s do it’.
“I’d have to say from day one we came back, he’s been training with the group because of numbers really to make sure that we had enough to play 10 v 10, and in the last three games every time he’s been on the pitch he’s made a massive impact.
“Let’s hope that’s not just adrenaline coming to a new club. Let’s hope that’s what he is because he can make things happen.
“He’s like a fizzy bottle of pop ready to explode every time he gets on the pitch and the way I want to play he does just what I want. He has intensity, he has urgency, he plays on the front foot, he’s positive.
“Let’s not build him, he’s just a young kid, but he’s started pretty well and he will be rewarded with game time if he keeps it going.”
Despite impressing in his first few weeks, in all likelihood, says Mowbray, he would still have been on Under-23s duty at the weekend had Sam Gallagher been fit.
Now the challenge is for the teenager to turn his undoubted promise into an extended run of form.
“It’s down to him of course, he has to sustain it,” said Mowbray. “He has to sustain what he’s showing me every day in training – and showing the lads, showing the first team.
“The first-team players are amazed at what he can do, how he can do it, how he can drag it from foot to foot and run so fast with the ball and do little tricks with it. And then the intensity out of possession, his ability to close down and win the ball back, as his goal at Blackpool showed – he took it off the goalie and scored.
“He’s got an opportunity because he deserves an opportunity with his work ethic, and let’s see how the season unfolds for him.
“Because I’d have to say if Gallagher was available today there’s every chance he would have been playing at Manchester City with our Under 23s.”
Rovers have signed exciting youngster Tyrhys Dolan on a two-year deal following his release from Preston North End.
The 18-year-old attacking midfielder featured twice against Rovers this season and caught the eye on both occasions
Having spent much of his youth career at Manchester City, Dolan joined Preston in the summer of 2017 and has been regular source of goals and assists during his time as a scholar.
Able to play in a number of positions across the forward line, including on both wings and behind the striker, the talented teenager is delighted to pen his first pro deal, through to June 2022, and can’t wait to get going in Rovers colours.
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