Declan Rice admits his rise from teenage unknown to Premier League footballer has been ‘a bit mad’ but is determined to keep his focus on his next target – regular top-flight football.
Still just 18, Rice has had quite a year. He captained the U23s to promotion and made his Premier League debut in May, before being called-up to the Republic of Ireland senior squad for the first time.
Slaven Bilic then included him in the first-team squad for the pre-season training camps in Austria and Germany, where he has appeared in all four matches and even filled a deep-lying midfield role in two Betway Cup ties with Werder Bremen.
“I think I have done very well,” said Rice, whose confidence should not be mistaken for arrogance, but rather a belief in his own ability. “I have been very happy with myself in training and I think I have made an impression in games.
“Having players around like Mark Noble and James Collins, they just keep egging me on to do better and better and keep getting better, giving me confidence to perform.
“Now I have played in midfield in two games I have started to feel a lot more comfortable there. Obviously, centre-back is my favourite position but it is good that I can play in both roles.
“I have to keep level-headed, keep focused, keep working hard in training every single day and hopefully the manager gives me my chance.
“My next target is to start in the Premier League, that's what I am aiming for. I'll play wherever the manager puts me, centre back or centre midfield, I don't care.”
While Rice has fitted seamlessly into Bilic’s squad this summer, the teenager himself admits it has been a challenge to get used to the speed of first-team training after spending the majority of the past two years with the U23s.
“It is a massive step-up from the U23s to this – with better players, international footballers, everything is a bit more sharper and at a high intensity,” he observed.
“I think I am raising my game to go along with them, definitely. With the help of the others and the manager I'm getting better each time.”
As Rice continues to improve and impress, so his stature will continue to rise, not only among the coaching staff but also among the Claret and Blue Army.
“About a year ago, no-one knew who I was and now, I'm signing autographs for fans here in Germany, it's a bit mad. It's weird people knowing who I am!”
If he continues to play as he has been in pre-season, it will not be weird for much longer.