AmexRuislip
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The big interview: Jake Forster-Caskey on his Brighton exit, making his own career calls and feeling settled at Charlton Athletic.
Jake Forster-Caskey is following in the footsteps of his step-dad pulling on a Charlton shirt – but says it was totally his decision to make the move to SE7 last month.
The Addicks completed a permanent deal for the 22-year-old, who had been on Brighton’s books since 2007.
Forster-Caskey comes from footballing stock with dad Darren Caskey plying his trade for Tottenham, Reading and Notts County. His step-father Nicky Forster banged in goals for the likes of Gillingham, Brentford, Birmingham and the Royals.
Forster had a brief loan spell with Charlton in 2010 while he was with Brighton.
Forster-Caskey has chosen to make the same switch from the South Coast, only on a contract which runs until the summer of 2019.
“I make all my decisions – if I need advice I will get it,” he said. “It is my career. No-one has put me anywhere, it has always been myself working hard behind the scenes.
“I need to make the right choices and wrong choices, then I’ve only got myself to blame if I do make wrong ones.
“You have to weigh up every option, but I knew the manager and I knew the size of the club. It’s a drop in division but I don’t look at it like that – I see it as the next step. As long as I do well then hopefully the club can go places.
“I remember going to watch him [Forster] play at The Valley. I’ve been a supporter in the crowd before. There is a little bit of history there – but hopefully I can play more than 10 games for them!”
The Southend-born midfielder appears to have got one call partially right when he turned down a three-year deal at Rotherham in July, instead opting for a season-long loan.
He made just five starts for the Millers by January and the temporary nature of the arrangement opened up the chance to be reunited with Charlton boss Karl Robinson, who he played for during a stint at Milton Keynes in the 2015-16 season.
“It’s been a frustrating six months. My loan move to Rotherham, I hardly kicked a ball really.
“I can’t really give you a clear answer on why that was. The managers kept chopping and changing, which obviously doesn’t help. I worked hard but struggled to get into that side. It was frustrating for me to watch because we weren’t doing the best. I thought I could improve the side.
“I don’t like to look back too much. I’m at Charlton now and I feel settled here. I’m close to home, it’s pretty much a local club for me. I can’t wait to keep playing games.”
Forster-Caskey already has three assists in his first two matches for the Addicks. The early signs are that he will flourish in Robinson’s attack-minded formation.
“We got on well at MK – it always helps when the manager has confidence in you,” he said. “It’s easier to go out and express yourself on a Saturday.
“I like the way his teams play and I sort of fit into that. He wants to play on the front-foot, possession football. I like to get forward. Maybe that’s why it didn’t work at Rotherham – they played slightly different, lets put it like that.
“He was a big reason why I came here. I know he has got aspirations to take this club higher. I want to play at the highest level. I’m not the type to be satisfied sitting mid-table.”
Forster-Caskey signed a scholarship with Brighton in April 2010. During that period he had trials with Arsenal and Aston Villa.
“I wouldn’t say I turned them down,” he said. “I got offered a contract at Brighton and decided to stay there. I was under Martin Hinshelwood and Vic Bragg, they were good to me and I wanted to show them a bit of loyalty as well.”
He is still the youngest Brighton debutant, just 16 when Gus Poyet involved him in 2010. Capped at England under-21 level, two years ago his image was splashed across two-storeys of the club shop at the Amex Stadium.
“When you are that young and playing you don’t really think about it – it seems normal,” said Forster-Caskey. “I remember the week before I travelled to MK and they had to get permission from my school, to even travel there.
“When I look back now, it’s an amazing achievement to be the youngest player.
“It was a great period for me. I progressed amazingly under Gus and Sami Hyppia. Under Sami as a team we didn’t do very well and the changes came in. Sometimes as a player when a manager comes in he has his views on football. The way I played was slightly different to how the manager now wanted to go.
“Chris Hughton has done brilliantly. They are looking like they are going to the Premier League. I’ve had great times there and got good friends still playing now. I wish them all the best.”
Charlton’s six-game unbeaten run has been impressive considering a tough run of matches. But with ground to make up on the frontrunners, they need title-winning form in the remaining months to force themselves into the promotion reckoning.
“You know it’s realistic we can get in the play-offs – I’d love to finish with having a shot at getting promoted,” said Forster-Caskey. “We’ve got some massive games coming up and we need to start there.
“We know it’s going to be tough, it’s not an easy ask. This club should be at the top of League One.
“Charlton should be in the Championship. But you don’t get to the Championship because you should be there. Let’s hope we could get into the play-offs, because I really think we could do something if we get there.”
https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/...reer-calls-feeling-settled-charlton-athletic/
Jake Forster-Caskey is following in the footsteps of his step-dad pulling on a Charlton shirt – but says it was totally his decision to make the move to SE7 last month.
The Addicks completed a permanent deal for the 22-year-old, who had been on Brighton’s books since 2007.
Forster-Caskey comes from footballing stock with dad Darren Caskey plying his trade for Tottenham, Reading and Notts County. His step-father Nicky Forster banged in goals for the likes of Gillingham, Brentford, Birmingham and the Royals.
Forster had a brief loan spell with Charlton in 2010 while he was with Brighton.
Forster-Caskey has chosen to make the same switch from the South Coast, only on a contract which runs until the summer of 2019.
“I make all my decisions – if I need advice I will get it,” he said. “It is my career. No-one has put me anywhere, it has always been myself working hard behind the scenes.
“I need to make the right choices and wrong choices, then I’ve only got myself to blame if I do make wrong ones.
“You have to weigh up every option, but I knew the manager and I knew the size of the club. It’s a drop in division but I don’t look at it like that – I see it as the next step. As long as I do well then hopefully the club can go places.
“I remember going to watch him [Forster] play at The Valley. I’ve been a supporter in the crowd before. There is a little bit of history there – but hopefully I can play more than 10 games for them!”
The Southend-born midfielder appears to have got one call partially right when he turned down a three-year deal at Rotherham in July, instead opting for a season-long loan.
He made just five starts for the Millers by January and the temporary nature of the arrangement opened up the chance to be reunited with Charlton boss Karl Robinson, who he played for during a stint at Milton Keynes in the 2015-16 season.
“It’s been a frustrating six months. My loan move to Rotherham, I hardly kicked a ball really.
“I can’t really give you a clear answer on why that was. The managers kept chopping and changing, which obviously doesn’t help. I worked hard but struggled to get into that side. It was frustrating for me to watch because we weren’t doing the best. I thought I could improve the side.
“I don’t like to look back too much. I’m at Charlton now and I feel settled here. I’m close to home, it’s pretty much a local club for me. I can’t wait to keep playing games.”
Forster-Caskey already has three assists in his first two matches for the Addicks. The early signs are that he will flourish in Robinson’s attack-minded formation.
“We got on well at MK – it always helps when the manager has confidence in you,” he said. “It’s easier to go out and express yourself on a Saturday.
“I like the way his teams play and I sort of fit into that. He wants to play on the front-foot, possession football. I like to get forward. Maybe that’s why it didn’t work at Rotherham – they played slightly different, lets put it like that.
“He was a big reason why I came here. I know he has got aspirations to take this club higher. I want to play at the highest level. I’m not the type to be satisfied sitting mid-table.”
Forster-Caskey signed a scholarship with Brighton in April 2010. During that period he had trials with Arsenal and Aston Villa.
“I wouldn’t say I turned them down,” he said. “I got offered a contract at Brighton and decided to stay there. I was under Martin Hinshelwood and Vic Bragg, they were good to me and I wanted to show them a bit of loyalty as well.”
He is still the youngest Brighton debutant, just 16 when Gus Poyet involved him in 2010. Capped at England under-21 level, two years ago his image was splashed across two-storeys of the club shop at the Amex Stadium.
“When you are that young and playing you don’t really think about it – it seems normal,” said Forster-Caskey. “I remember the week before I travelled to MK and they had to get permission from my school, to even travel there.
“When I look back now, it’s an amazing achievement to be the youngest player.
“It was a great period for me. I progressed amazingly under Gus and Sami Hyppia. Under Sami as a team we didn’t do very well and the changes came in. Sometimes as a player when a manager comes in he has his views on football. The way I played was slightly different to how the manager now wanted to go.
“Chris Hughton has done brilliantly. They are looking like they are going to the Premier League. I’ve had great times there and got good friends still playing now. I wish them all the best.”
Charlton’s six-game unbeaten run has been impressive considering a tough run of matches. But with ground to make up on the frontrunners, they need title-winning form in the remaining months to force themselves into the promotion reckoning.
“You know it’s realistic we can get in the play-offs – I’d love to finish with having a shot at getting promoted,” said Forster-Caskey. “We’ve got some massive games coming up and we need to start there.
“We know it’s going to be tough, it’s not an easy ask. This club should be at the top of League One.
“Charlton should be in the Championship. But you don’t get to the Championship because you should be there. Let’s hope we could get into the play-offs, because I really think we could do something if we get there.”
https://www.londonnewsonline.co.uk/...reer-calls-feeling-settled-charlton-athletic/
