The former Manchester City midfielder, who joined Wolves in the summer, is still being eased back onto the pitch having been absent for 13 months due to injury, but he has already proved to be a welcome addition to the pack, with head coach James Collins full of praise for the 19-year-old.
Having returned to action in the middle of a six-game winning run for the under-23s, the Republic of Ireland youth international told wolves.co.uk that he is hoping to continue to have a positive impact in the remaining weeks of the season in gold and black.
On waiting six months to make his debut
“It has been a frustrating time because it has been longer than I would have wanted it to be. It was also hard coming into a new club and not playing straight away.
“But I have to say that I’ve enjoyed coming into the training ground every day and being around the place and watching the lads play. It’s been hard watching them, because you want to be out there yourself, but I’ve loved it.
“Everyone here at the club has made me feel very welcome and it’s been easy for me to settle in. It took me a week, if that, to feel part of Wolves and I felt at home here straight away.
“All the players and the staff are brilliant and I get on with everyone well, I enjoy being around the club, so it wasn’t hard to adjust, despite being injured, as I was still around the squad every day and still really felt part of the team.”
Great to see Joe Hodge recovered, back on the pitch and making an impact!
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) March 16, 2022
🐺👊 pic.twitter.com/EM4noE28Oy
On the Wolves Academy medical staff
“They’ve all been great with me. I appreciate everything they’ve done to get me back to where I am now. They might think I’m annoying a bit at times because I’m always asking them how they can get me back quicker and quicker.
“All the way through the process I’ve just been desperate to get back on the pitch, but I have to listen to them as they’re the ones who know what they’re talking about and they’ve always been really good with me.
“They explain why they do the things they do with me and helped me at every step of the way, so I can’t thank them enough. They’ve been brilliant.”
On getting back playing
“It’s been 13 months since I last played, and I was itching ever since I came in to get out onto the pitch with the lads and play for Wolves.
“I felt it had taken me a while to get to where I was and I still don’t feel that I’m at the point I was before my injury, but I’m working towards it and I’m feeling good and feeling sharp. It’s just a case of feeling more and more used to being out there. It did feel different at first having not done it for so long, but it does feel better and better with every time.
“But I still don’t feel that I’m anywhere near where I can do, so I’m just hoping for more opportunities and more minutes, because the more I get, I’m sure I’ll get even closer to that.”
The icing on the cake!
— Wolves Academy (@WolvesAcademy) March 14, 2022
🎂⚽️ pic.twitter.com/7M7aFzJCJZ
On his debut goal in the Black Country derby
“It was brilliant. It was one of the best moments that I’ve had since I came into the club. I didn’t get many minutes in that game, but it was a great feeling to score.
“Especially because that was one of our best performances of the season as a team, as well, because that’s the most important thing, so it was great to come on and top it off with a goal.”
On the team’s recent run of form
“We’re on six wins from six in the league at the moment, and it’s the best run of form we’ve had all season and probably the best that any side has had this season.
“But it’s not just the results which we’ve been happy with, it’s the performances as well, which have been getting better and better each game. If we keep this up, we’ve got every chance of having a really good end to the season.
“That’s what we’re all looking to do because everyone is itching to go to the next game once we’ve finished the last and everyone in the squad is just enjoying their football at the moment, we’re gelling well as a team, so hopefully we can just keep it going.”
