Flying Dutchman Yanic Wildschut is delighted with his first real taste of first-team action - and now he’s hungry for more.
After a couple of brief cameos from the bench he got his first start at Rotherham and made an explosive impact.
On his 23rd birthday he had a blinder with some urging runs, superb crosses and a goal in a man-of-the-match display in Boro’s polished 3-0 win.
“It was a very memorable game for me and a good birthday present also,” he said.
“When I first came here I didn’t play a lot so I was very happy to get my first start and to get a goal was also nice.
“It was a good game for me. I was involved in a lot of actions, got in some good crosses and so I think I did well for the team and we got three points which is the most important thing.”
Wildschut has had to bide his time since arriving from Dutch side Heerenveen on deadline day back in August.
After a month of training to get up to speed he made his debut at Liverpool, coming on after 76 minutes to battle through extra-time and hammer home a penalty after the 2-2 Anfield epic defeat.
He then got the last three minutes at the 0-0 draw at Charlton and the last 15 minutes in the 2-0 defeat away at Wolves last week.
“I’ve had to wait a while for my chance but that is because we have had (Adam) Reachy and Albert (Adomah) doing really well on the outside.
“But it was good also I did not start too early because I needed time to get used to the style and speed of the game in England and that has been difficult.
“We played at Sunderland a few weeks ago and after 20 minuets I was blown up and searching for breath. It’s tough.
“Now I feel I can take 90 minutes and I think I have shown the manager I can last a whole game if he needs me.”
The win at Rotherham has really given the jet-heeled winger a taste for first team action.
And he said he relished the intense and hostile atmosphere at the New York Stadium.
“It was a very big atmosphere and I enjoyed that,” he said.
“It was an intense and difficult also because they got a red card and everyone of their supporters was against us and against the referee.
“It was very loud from them but our supporters were very loud also and that made a good atmosphere to play in.
“When I came here I knew Middlesbrough was a big club who had an ambition to go up but it also that it was a very difficult league and that every game would be big.
“But I did not realise how fantastic the Boro supporters would be in every game.
“When I was standing there before the first whistle and saw the whole end stand was full of Boro fans I was very excited.
“Every game is like that here and it is good for us because it pushes us to work harder.
“I was looking around and the Boro fans were already singing even before kick-off and I was thinking: ‘Wow, this is what I want every week.’
“I just want to play more and more games now. I hope I have convinced the manager that when he needs me then I am always ready to play.”
Wildschut has yet to play at the Riverside but with games this week against Norwich and Bournemouth he hopes his time will come.
“I haven’t played at home so far and I hope that can come soon,” he said.
“Of course, I want to play now against Norwich as it is a very important game - but everyone in the squad wants to play in every game also. We have to see what the manager decides.”
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