New signing Peter Kioso does not expect to be thrust straight into action for Luton Town, though he backs himself to handle the pressure of stepping up from the non-league.
The right back moved from Hartlepool United last week for a reported £100,000, but having never played in the Football League boss Graeme Jones has earmarked the 20-year-old as “one for the future”.
Kioso didn’t feature in the squad as Town beat Derby 3-2 on Tuesday night to claim their first win in nine league games – but he didn’t think he would.
Speaking on the eve of the game, the Dublin-born defender said: “I think the gaffer will probably ease me in. I don’t think he’ll throw me in straight away but, as a footballer, I’m always ready.
“Whenever the gaffer wants to start me or put me on the bench, I’m always ready, so that when I do come on the pitch I’ll prove myself to the best of my ability.”
There are, however, high hopes for Kioso has also been signed, in the longer term, as the successor to Jack Stacey, who moved to Premier League Bournemouth in the summer in a reported £4million deal, following James Justin (Leicester) to the top flight.
The former Dunstable Town defender said: “In football, you’re always going to have pressure, but it’s about whether you can live up to the pressure or not. I deem myself as being able to work under any type of pressure because that’s the job that you’re giving.
“Every next step you go on to you always have to believe you can do it. This next step is big step up but if I didn’t think I’d be able to do it there wouldn’t be any point in me coming.
“Me coming here, is me saying to myself, ‘it might take me a little bit of time, but I need to make it as quickly as possible’. I need to adapt to the league and show I’m able to do the things I’m asked of.
“I back myself physically and mentally to handle it. There are certain things you have to tweak when you meet new players or when you go to a new team and go up in levels. As a footballer, the quicker you do it, the better it is for you.”
Talking of his first January signing, Jones said: “That’s in with the club’s philosophy as well, with the long-term future, young players and we’ve got a tradition and a history with that. I’m delighted with it, but we need to marry that with players for now as well.
“But that was the process. There are two ways of looking at it and that was one for the future and I think he’ll be a really big asset for the club.”
Asked whether Kioso could yet feature in the Championship run-in, the Hatters chief said: “You never know with players, the jump from League One to the Championship is massive, so you would say that it’s a big, big step.
“Individually at the minute he hasn’t shown any frailties, any weaknesses, but that’s what the Championship and the Premier League does, it picks that out of you. So we’ll see, but so far, so good.”
