Life At Deepdale

Striker Danny Welbeck joined Preston North End on loan last month. We caught up with the teenager to find out how he's settling into life at Deepdale and what it's like to work under the "other" Ferguson...

How are you enjoying life at Preston? You’ve played seven games now…
It’s going well and I’m really enjoying playing week-in, week-out. Actually, in the Championship you tend to play two games a week, so it’s been a great experience so far. Playing regular football was the big idea behind me going out on loan and it should help me progress as a player.

Do you get a sense that Preston are a club going places?
Absolutely. It’s a great club with a rich history and Darren Ferguson wants to take them back to the top flight. He wouldn’t be here if he didn’t think he could take Preston into the Premier League. He’s always looking for you to improve as a player and for the team to improve. Everybody here is the same – it’s an ambitious set-up.

So what are Preston’s targets this season?
Our main aim is to reach the play-offs. The players aren’t ready to settle for being a mid-table Championship side and neither is the manager. He wants to manage in the Premier League and he won't be happy with second best. He wants to take Preston forward.

What's more beneficial: playing regular football in the Championship, or training and being involved occasionally with United?
I’ve been involved with the first-team at United for a while now and I’ve been away on a few European trips. That's great experience but it reached a point where I was training a lot but not getting too many games. I felt I was doing well in training so the next step from there was to play competitive football on a regular basis, and I just couldn't do that at United. So it made sense to come to Preston and I’ve started every game since I arrived. I think this loan spell has been really beneficial and it will only get better.

Matty James has joined you at the club and he even scored on his debut. What does he bring to the team?
Matty’s a quality midfielder. You can give him the ball in more or less any situation and nine times out of 10 he’ll get out of it. I’ve played with Matty at United since we were 12 years old – we know each other's game inside out. If he gets the ball he already knows where I’m going to run, he knows where to pass the ball, he knows if I want it to feet or in behind. We’ve got a great understanding and I’m sure we’ll do well together.

What did Sir Alex say to you when he sent you on loan?
He was keen for me to be playing games regularly and he’s kept in touch a lot. He’s sent me texts before games and called a few times as well. He’s given me feedback on what I’ve done well and also told me where I can improve.

Did he get in touch after your first goal?
People were comparing it to Eric Cantona’s famous chip against Sunderland...Haha I’m not sure about that! Cantona’s goal was out of this world. But yeah, the gaffer sent me a text afterwards – he told me he was really pleased for me but that he would probably fine me for my celebration. I
didn’t think I did anything wrong! It wasn’t like when I scored on my United debut against Stoke… I still don’t know what that celebration was all about.

What sort of role are you playing at Preston? At United we saw you both out wide and up front…I’m playing up front at Preston, which is where I prefer to play. Playing out wide isn’t my natural position but I can do a job there. At Preston I’ve been playing right on the last man. Darren Ferguson has been drumming into me the importance of staying on the last defender and has asked me to make runs in behind the back four. He wants me to play like more of a traditional centre-forward. At United when I played up front I would sometimes be playing a role that would see me drop off a little bit and come looking for the ball. Here at Preston I’m learning how to play the other way and play closer to goal. It’s suited me so far, although it’s not something I’m used to. Growing up in the United system I always played a little deeper, so this is good experience. Hopefully I can get 20-odd games under my belt here at Preston and that will add another dimension to my game.

So what’s the "other" Ferguson like to work under?
He’s great. There have been one or two moments – things he’s said in team-talks mostly – that have taken me back to my time at United and reminded me of Sir Alex, but he’s his own man and his own manager. He’s really keen and he gets involved a lot on the training pitch, which is great. He likes us to get the ball down in games and pass the ball and play football the right way – he’s developed a good set-up.

I guess there’s no chance of a bad performance sneaking under Sir Alex’s radar, though…
Haha, definitely not. I think if I played really badly I’d get a cuff around the ear and the big gaffer would find out!

On Tuesday night, Preston played Derby at Pride Park. That's a ground you've no doubt got fond memories of...
Yeah, I scored the fourth goal there when United beat Derby 4-1 in the FA Cup last season. It was a nice little finish – Darren Fletcher played a one-two with Ryan Giggs and then rolled the ball to me on the corner of the box where I just curled it into the far corner. Actually, it was probably my best goal for United. My goal on my debut against Stoke was good but the one at Derby required more technique – I really enjoyed that one.

Finally, how different is Championship football?
I find it a lot more hectic than the Premier League. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been lucky to play with United, but here at Preston I don’t seem to have as much time on the ball. That might be the opposite of what you’d expect but at United we were so good at keeping possession. In the Premier League, though, the quality of all the players is obviously a little higher and the intensity of the games is higher. The defenders in the Premier League are top-class, too, so as a striker you need to be really perceptive with your movement and use the ball well. That said, I've already come up against some pretty tough Championship centre-backs. But it’s all good experience for me and will only toughen me up for when I return to United.