Adam Wharton will continue to play his own way – but credits the work in training as being key to his development that has earned him a recall to the starting line-up.

Wharton starred in Rovers’ midweek draw with Coventry City, his second start in three matches after a five-month absence from the starting XI.

The 19-year-old was challenged to improve his work off the ball by Jon Dahl Tomasson who credited the midfielder’s performances in training as key to his recall.

Wharton has long been tipped to make an impact in the first-team, having graduated through the ranks, with the languid style that caught the eye in the Academy age groups continuing on the senior stage.

“I think you have got to play the way you’ve always played, even when you go up to the first-team,” he said.

“It’s different, more physical, better quality of players, but naturally you get used to it, especially training with the first-team.

“Your levels naturally go up and I think you’ve got to play your own game.

“If you try and change it too much then it might get into your head and make mistakes.

“I think it’s about staying calm and doing what you know you can do and it’ll be fine.”

Wharton’s ability on the ball has never come into question, and despite his previous concerns about his work off it, Tomasson handed him the responsibility of anchoring the midfield on Wednesday night.

He lit up the first half, but also made nine ball recoveries to win the ball back from his role infront of the back four.

“It’s a lot better than running and trying to get it back from the opposition!,” he joked of enjoying having the ball at his feet.

“To get on the ball and try and make things happen is my strength but there are two sides to the game and I have to work on the other side.

“I think I’ve done that recently, but there’s always room for improvement.”

There are growing list of admirers, with Premier League clubs regularly sending scouts to watch the England Under-19 international in action.

For Wharton himself, his focus is on his continued development and to impress Tomasson to earn a regular spot in the team.

“I know I’m nowhere near the player I can be and I know I can get a lot better so I’ve been working on everything as a whole to get back in the team,” he added.

“I’m a completely different player from what I was at the start of the season.

“That’s down to the things I’ve been working on with the gaffer and the staff in training all season.

“I think I’m improving every day. Of course I want to play every game but that’s not possible.

“It’s still my first season, I’m still young, and I have to take my chance when it comes.”

As a boyhood Rovers fan, Wharton knows as much as anyone the importance of Rovers’ next two games, and not just in their quest to reach the play-offs.

He didn’t feature in either of the two games earlier in the season against Preston North End or Burnley, but having come back into favour, will hope to keep his spot.

To do that he will have to continue catching Tomasson’s eye in training, something the head coach stresses is essential for all players.

 

“Every day you have to push yourselves otherwise you might not get better and other players are going to get ahead of you,” Wharton added.

“It’s about getting your chacne, doing the best you can every day in training and you’ll get better as a player and more chance of being in the team.

“I know what I can do for the team and individually, I’m pretty confident in myself that no matter who we come up against we can play the way we want to play and do it effectively.

“It’s about working hard in training, gaining that confidence and taking it onto the pitch.”

Wharton starred on his full debut at Blackpool and there have been growing calls for him to have more first-team exposure.

That was the first of eight Championship starts, alongside six more in the cup competitions.

He took time, in Tomasson’s eyes, to get back up to speed after an ankle injury in early 2023, and had a run of games in the Under-21s as a result, as well as featuring in internal games.

“Throughout the season I feel I’ve got better, more effective in the games and it’s about training, if you do the right things in training it becomes natural and you can take that onto the pitch.

“I think they’ve been massive the internal games this year, we’ve had so many of them, so the manager thinks they’re really important in keeping players fit and if they’re ready to go into the first-team and start.

“It’s about trying to do as much in those games and throughout the week to get in his mind and his thoughts.”