Charni Ekangamene on his Blues loan spell
Manchester United midfielder Charni Ekangamene gave us his reaction to his three month loan deal as he met his new team mates on the team bus ahead of the Saturday fixture against Bristol City.
“I see this as the next challenge in my career,” he said. “I’ve been with United for three or four seasons and this is my first loan spell. It’s something I am really excited about and I’m looking forward to what the next few months will hold for me. I have a really good feeling about it.
“Kav has spoken to me and he has told me that he has watched me play. He has told me that this is different because what I do on the pitch really matters. Hopefully I will settle in quickly and help the team to get the points we need.”
“It has all happened very quickly,” he agreed. “There was a knock on my door and I was told that I was wanted by Carlisle United. It was all done over the last few days and the next thing I’m on the team bus and on the way to a big game. It’s unbelievable and really, really exciting.
“I am confident in what I can do and I’m determined to make a big impact here. Every player wants competitive football and this is my chance to get it. From what I know and what I’ve heard about the way Carlisle like to play football it sounds like it is going to be my type of thing.”
On what we can expect to see, he said: “My natural position is as a holding midfielder and I usually try to protect the back four. I think I can read the game really well and I don’t mind tackling and breaking the play up. Basically I like to help the team go forward or defend, whatever is needed.
“We had a connection with Manchester United at Antwerp and they invited me over from there,” he explained. “Warren Joyce had seen me and he thought I would fit in well at Old Trafford. I think it’s a dream come true for any player to be invited to play for a club like that so there was no hesitation at all. I said yes and moved across.
“As you go through the age groups you get to train and play with some fantastic players. The standard is really high and you have to perform at your best every day. In my opinion the only thing you can do when it’s like that is learn as much as you can.
“The good thing is that all of the first team players help you as much as they can when you play or train with them. There are people in every position to look up to and, like I say, I try to take as much as I can from all of them.”
“This is the next step for me now,” he said. “I’m here to show everybody that I can handle it and that I’m ready to play regularly. Hopefully that’s what will happen for me.”