Callum Brittain has stressed the importance of experience in the Blackburn Rovers dressing room and reiterated his happiness at the club.
The Blackburn Rovers right-back has become a fans' favourite at Ewood Park and enjoyed his best season to date last term. It's little surprise, therefore, that Rovers are trying to tie him down to a new contract with 12 months on his current terms.
Those talks are understood to be progressing with the club hopeful that Brittain will extend his stay beyond 2026.
Whilst those discussions are ongoing in the background, the 27-year-old is enjoying the off-season with pre-season training still a few weeks away.
READ MORE: Agent hints at Blackburn Rovers plan which could have transfer impact
He joined Sky Sports' Netball 'Off the Court' podcast with his wife, Beth, who captains Leeds Rhinos. They spoke about the dynamics of marriage within professional sport amongst a number of other topics.
Brittain was asked about his time at Blackburn and what he enjoyed most. He said: "My season went great, to be honest.
"As a team, we started really well and then hit a block mid-season but we finished very well. In terms of numbers, for myself, it's been one of my best years.
"I feel like I've grown into my body, I've played in the Championship for a number of seasons now. I've had really good managers this year and I can't thank them enough.
"I love the changing room. I've grown really close with a lot of them. We had a very good culture this year and it showed on the pitch.
"We had two managers this year. I've had the second one (Ismael) before and I had a very good relationship with the first one (Eustace). I couldn't pick between them."
The topic of experience in professional sport drew an interesting answer from the Rovers right-back, as he reiterated the importance in a dressing room.
Blackburn hugely benefitted from signing Andi Weimann and Danny Batth last summer, who contributed on the pitch and also added immense value in terms of their experience.
"This season, compared to the season before, we had a very young squad and we had difficult moments where we lost confidence during dips in form," he explained.
"Last year, we brought in three or four very experienced pros. The manager can only do so much. In football, you spend so much time with these boys in the changing rooms, nights out and dinners. You spend so much time together.
"You will learn the culture and experiences they have shared. The day-to-day professionalism, what they do before and after training. It makes a big difference in football.
"It helps to create a culture. When you're young, who do you learn from? There is the manager but that is more tactics and those types of things. To learn how to be a better human and how to work in certain ways, you learn that from older players, it's invaluable."
Brittain also revealed how he approaches his preparation for a match from a data and analytical stand point. In the modern game, coaches will focus heavily on clips to ensure the players understand the tactical plan from a team perspective.
Whilst the defender is fully engaged with team shape, he prefers to avoid over-preparing for his individual battles. Instead, he likes to work out the strategy in-game against a tricky winger.
"We analyse our games on Monday, Tuesday and then Thursday we'll be looking at the next game and what we're going to do," he said.
"It depends on what you like in football too. When you go into a club, I don't like doing too much apart from team stuff and how to prepare for the next game.
"In terms of what does the left-winger play like? I'd rather work him out on the pitch rather than sit and look at clips. When it comes to a game, they can do the complete opposite."
Whilst his wife, Beth, can often stew on a bad result or individual performance, Brittain's frustrations are much more short-term, which balances well for a happy marriage.
"I am more short-term anger and moping after a game but I can get it out there and then in the stadium. Maybe a little bit in the car journey home too," he joked.
"As soon as I'm home, I'm usually ok and I've put it behind me. Beth will sit for a few days, she'll spend time thinking about it and watching her clips. It depends on which you can deal with better.
"I try to put it behind me, I know what I can improve or need to do better. She likes to sit and analyse it. It's good to be different."
Share