Conor Bradley revealed he has had text messages from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp during his loan spell at Bolton Wanderers as he has his eye on challenging for promotion this season with the League One club.
Bradley has shone in his early days at Wanderers after joining for the campaign. He has found the back of the net three times so far and cemented his place as first choice right wing-back.
The teenager is now on Northern Ireland duty for the international break. He has spoken about his season so far ahead of UEFA Nations League games versus Kosovo and Greece.
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The 19-year-old is spending the campaign out on loan at Wanderers away from the Anfield club. Though he has not spoken directly to the Kop boss one-to-one, Klopp has kept in touch with Bradley in his time so far at Bolton.
The teenager has had messages of support from the Liverpool boss after performing well for Wanderers, with whom he believes he can challenge for promotion this season. He is enjoying playing the wing-back role and believes getting regular game time will only benefit him with his long-term ambitions for both club and country.
He said: "It has been a really good start and I feel I am learning and developing every day. I am just enjoying playing as many games as I can.
"I didn't really speak to Jurgen one-to-one, but I have received text messages from him just saying go out and enjoy it, and do your best. He just wants to see me get as many games as possible.
"They have all been great with me and kept in close contact. They have been great with me.
"We have a group there with all the loanees and they text into it when someone scores or gets an assist, or even when you play well. So they are always texting in and wishing us all the best for games.
"I am enjoying the wing-back role. That's how the gaffer wants me to play. He wants wing-backs creating and getting into the box, and tucking away some chances when we can.
"So I have been living it so far, and if I can pop up with a couple more goals then it will be even better.
"It will hopefully help me with Northern Ireland, if the manager plays with wing-backs. I have played like that all season so it would be good for me.
"Barra likes to play quite similar to how we do at Bolton with the wing-backs and he wants his wing-backs in the box as well. So hopefully I can add to that.
"It has been a good start (at Bolton). We had a tough set of fixtures, so to come through that and sit fifth in the table is really good.
"We have our eye on promotion, either through the play-offs or through automatic promotion. We will push it all the way but hopefully there's good things to come.
"I feel good this season. It has been a step up for me playing twice a week which can be quite difficult at times. But it can only benefit me in the long-term.
"I feel more confident and I have a bit of rhythm from playing twice a week. But it's mainly the confidence part. I feel good about myself playing games for Bolton.
"Hopefully I can now transfer that to Northern Ireland. I am getting in the box a lot more and timing my runs a lot better. And I have also scored a couple of goals which is a positive.
"It is just my game management, and being able to deal with different situations. I am young and there are players stronger than me, so it is dealing with things like that."
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