Jake Garrett is not one to shirk a challenge, and he’s ready to meet head-on the prospect of fighting for a place in Jon Dahl Tomasson’s plans.

Garrett clocked up 90 minutes in Rovers’ pre-season friendly at Dundee on Wednesday night, having also played 60 minutes in the second game at Accrington Stanley.

Yet pre-season minutes is nothing new to Garrett, he played an integral part of Rovers’ friendlies last summer, starring in the draw with Leeds United and then also helping to change the game against Leeds United.

However, despite that, and being on the bench for the opening two fixtures, the 19-year-old is still waiting to make his senior debut.

A lack of central midfield options following the departures of Joe Rothwell, Jacob Davenport and Bradley Johnson, as well as Garrett’s talent, have led to a big involvement in the opening two pre-season friendlies of this summer.

And believing his style suits what head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson is looking for, he hopes to carry that into the 2022/23 campaign.

“I’m enjoying it, it’s a new manager, so I need to impress,” Garrett said of pre-season so far.

“He loves intensity which is my type of game, being in people’s faces, winning the ball back high and being on the front foot which I think will give me an advantage because that’s how I play.

“I’ve had the opportunities to impress and show what I can do and fingers crossed I get my chance this season.

“I’m excited for the season to start.”

Rovers are looking to strengthen in central midfield to provide much-needed competition following a host of departures.

League One clubs are understood to have shown interest in taking Garrett on loan, but he won’t be pushing for the exit door, despite the possibility of incomings, believing he is capable of breaking into Tomasson’s plans this season.

“If players come in, I like to fight for my position,” he explained.

“I need to show the gaffer I’m better than them, that’s how I look at it.

“If there is someone in my position, and there was to be a loan, it would have to be the right loan for me.

“I don’t want it to be a case of the ball being over my head, I want to get on it and work on things on the pitch.

“Let’s see what happens and fingers crossed I’m in the plans.”

Garrett has been training with the first-team for over a year, as well as playing a leading role for the Under-23s.

He says the senior players have ensured a smooth transition into the first-team environment, with Lewis Travis a close ally, with striking similarities in their approach to the game.

Garrett put himself in a position to make his debut last summer, and while that didn’t materialise, it was a situation he understood, and he felt a strong end to the campaign for the Under-23s put him in pole position to enjoy another strong pre-season.

“Playing against Leeds (last summer) I was excited for the season and thought I could get a chance,” Garrett said.

“That obviously never happened but the lads had a great season pushing for the play-offs.

“I thought I did do well at the end of the season.

“I needed to be the best player for the 23s every week to make sure I kept knocking on the door.

“I didn’t get that chance but as long as I keep improving every week it will give me an opportunity for the next game.

“I worked hard off the pitch, I was always ready if they ever needed me, but I think this time I need to kick on and try and make my debut.

“I feel I’ve been treated like a first-team player since I have come in.

“I’ve never been treated as a kid, which I have a lot of respect for. The players have taken me in, they want me to improve and they know what I’m capable of.”

Garrett has long been tipped to make an impact on the first-team stage, having represented England at Under-15s and Under-16s level.

He is on a long-term contract at Ewood Park, and been a mainstay of the Under-23s side since the start of 2021.

Thundering tackles are something of a trademark, and while he regularly treads the disciplinary tightrope, there is no shortage of quality to his play either.

“A tackle is my main attribute, I like to get the crowd up standing after a good tackle, but I want to get on the ball, make things happen,” he said.

“The gaffer wants us to play forward, I think that’s something we can definitely improve on, winning the ball and playing forward.

“I need to keep working on being around the box, getting shots off, getting goals and assists, which will benefit the team.”

Tomasson has reiterated the word ‘intensity’ throughout his early weeks at the club, and playing with tempo appears to be a key philosophy.

That is music to Garrett’s ears, a player who loves to get about the pitch, closing down and breaking forward with the ball.

It’s that style he feels will suit what Tomasson is trying to do with the team.

On the differences under the new head coach, he said: “The intensity has been so high, everything is fast.

“You need to play one-two touch otherwise people are right up your back.

“I think that’s going to really help us this season.

“I think being on the front foot it’s going to be hard for teams to play out, and when we’re in the block, I think it’ll hard to get through us.

“That’s something I’ve been impressed with since the gaffer has come in and something he’s spoken about. I’m excited.”

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