Cambridge United midfielder Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu is convinced the team is well positioned to earn promotion back to League One right away.
After being relegated last season, the U’s currently sit third in the table, holding a two-point lead inside the automatic promotion spots with 14 games left.
Mpanzu, 31, came to Cambridge last summer after spending 11 years at Luton Town, where he made history as the first player to rise from non-league football all the way up to the Premier League with one club.
He told BBC Cambridgeshire that dropping down to League Two was actually a smart move for him: “I think it’s the right decision seeing where we are in the table. I came here to get promoted; that’s what I do. I’ve had four promotions.
“It’s been going well; obviously the season’s not done yet, the job’s not done yet, but we’re in a really good position.
“The gaffer said get to 60 points; that’s where we are now, and you never know what can happen, but the main aim was to get play-offs, and we’re currently in the top three positions.
“We’re thinking, can we catch Swindon and Bromley in front of us, and that’s our main goal now.”
Mpanzu got off to a slow start this season-four of his first eight appearances were as a substitute-but since then he’s started 20 games across all competitions.
He added: “It was the first time I’d really been out of contract, and it was different. I didn’t really have a pre-season, and the manager didn’t want me to start the first couple of games.
“Since then I’ve played most of the games, and staying fit is what I’ve been doing, and hopefully I can continue to do that.”
The ex DR Congo international appeared 412 times for Luton across five tiers of English football-including 27 matches in the Premier League.
“I’m not going to lie; obviously the quality is incredible in the Premier League, playing against strikers like Erling Haaland. But League Two is also good quality, and you’ve got good players in it.
” It’s just a difference in mindset , where you’ve got to concentrate , and it’s even more of a battle than the Premier League.” It’s been an adjustment , and I think I’ve settled in well now , trying to play as well as I can for the team and the fans.”” Our team’s gelling well ; everyone knows their roles. Hopefully it’ll set us up for the next couple of months , and we can achieve something good this season.”
Source link
