Young striker delighted with first professional career hat-trick.

Kyle Joseph | “A moment I’ve dreamed about”
Joseph’s hat-trick helps Latics to important win at Burton Albion
Joseph: “It’s every kid’s dream to play for the first team and score a hat-trick. It’s something I dreamt of as a boy when playing football with my mates in the park.”

Wigan Athletic striker Kyle Joseph said his hat-trick in Tuesday night’s 4-3 win at Burton Albion was an incredibly proud moment for him and one he’s dreamed about since he was playing football with his mates on the park.

Joseph, 19, was excellent as Latics secured an important three points at the Pirelli Stadium and he spoke with great pride with Latics TV in his post-match interview.

“[It was] unreal,” he said. “It’s every kid’s dream to play for the first team and score a hat-trick. It’s something I dreamt of as a boy when playing football with my mates in the park.

“It’s a proud moment for me and I just can’t get over it, a moment I will always remember. It was a great night for us, we showed the courage and bravery to get back into the game and to get the result we needed.

“There was a bit of pressure with where we were in the league and where they were so it was big game but we needed to put that behind us and do what we do and to be confident.

“The ball will get framed now and put in a box but a proud moment for me. I’ve dreamt of it since I was a little boy getting a hat-trick. I’m hungry for goals.”

Describing his goals, he added:

“The first one was just in and around the box, a poacher’s finish with the thigh but I will take any way at the moment.

“The second one the ball came in from Olly [Crankshaw] and I took a touch and thought to just hit this as hard as possible and thankfully it went in off the bar.

“The third one was just movement in the box, something I have worked on with Leam [Richardson] and Adam Smith [Analyst]. Tom Pearce has delivered and I’ve flicked it round the front and it’s gone in so a little hat-trick for me and happy with that.

“Sometimes I can be a bit off with my movement in the box, maybe a bit too eager to get the ball at the front post and sometimes I take myself beyond the goal - if you’re not in front the goal you’re not going to score so it’s something I have worked on with Leam. We’ve analysed other players and their movement and how they’ve got their goals. I’ve got to keep doing that now, staying in front of goal.”

Talking about his relationship with Richardson, he said:

“Leam is like one of the lads, he has a laugh with us and banter with us but he knows when to be on work mode and get the best out of us,” Joseph explained. “That’s been the good thing with the younger lads engaging with him and knowing what we’ve been doing wrong and what we’ve been doing right and how we can be better so I think that’s a credit to the staff. They will help you and not be afraid to tell you what you’ve done wrong and as a player you have to take that and learn from it. “You can’t take stuff too harshly. I’ve needed to improve in some areas and I’ve gone back and analysed it and you get your rewards by working hard and putting in the work and graft.”

And Joseph also added that the club’s senior players have been crucial to his development.

“Will [Keane] is a great lad,” he added. “He’s been everywhere and played at a high level. He’s come through at a big club and I’m learning off him every day. I love doing that with everyone.

“I was speaking with Curtis Tilt the other day and asking him what his worst nightmare is for a striker as it’s good to get their opinion, what they don’t like and how I can exploit that, so it’s a case of asking questions.

“The best thing about football is learning something new every day so that’s what I’ve been trying to do. I’ve been playing a bit more as a ten since I’ve come in but it’s all a learning curve for me and will do wonders for me later in my career.”

Kyle Joseph | “A moment I’ve dreamed about”