Huddersfield midfielder Philip Billing is determined to take all the praise he has received in recent weeks in his giant stride.
The 22-year-old Dane, 6ft 6in and currently the Premier League’s tallest midfielder, has emerged as one of its outstanding young players this season.
A man-of-the-match display in last week’s win at Wolves earned him a place in Alan Shearer’s team of the week, but it appears Billing will keep his super-sized feet on the ground.
“Of course it’s nice to get the praise, but personally for me I’m just going to keep my focus, take each game as it comes and try to perform,” he said.
“If you do well of course everybody will be talking about it and it’s the same when you don’t do that well, people will be talking about that too.
“I just take each game as it comes and try and do my best and that’s what I’m focused on at the minute.”
Billing retains the shyness that marked him out when he arrived at Huddersfield from Esbjerg as a callow 16-year-old in 2013.
Talking himself up does not come easy, but he accepts a different mindset this season has helped him lift his game to another level.
“Yes, definitely,” he said. “I’ve been able to be more consistent than I was. I’m working hard on that and it’s just nice to be playing every game.
“I worked pretty hard in the off-season before I came back and worked with some people back in Denmark, so big credit to them.
“I came back with a different mentality and I set myself the goal that I wanted to play as many games as possible.
“I’ve done that, but I have to continue. If you believe in yourself, you will do well, if you don’t you might end up out on loan.
“I know I want to play and show my worth and that’s what I’m focused on.”
Huddersfield’s 2-0 win at Wolves last week made it seven points from a possible nine and catapulted them out of the bottom three.
The Terriers have another real chance to get more points in the bag against Brighton at the John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday.
“It’s big,” Billing added. “The last three games we’re unbeaten and we’ll try and take the Wolves win into the weekend against Brighton.
“Brighton are a decent side as well though, so we’ll have to be at it.”
