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Jack Iredale has ambitions of reaching the Championship with Wanderers and is embracing tonight’s cup clash with Middlesbrough.
The defender has featured in every game since the start of the campaign, having missed the second half of last season due to a knee injury.
Iredale hopes the Whites can build on their positive performances against Everton and West Brom in pre-season as take the game to Michael Carrick’s side.
“They are really good, they were right at the top end of the Championship last season,” he said.
“It is a challenge that we are looking forward to and we will be doing everything we can to give the best account of ourselves. We want to win every game we are in and Tuesday will be no different.
“They are in a higher division for a reason and it is a division we want to be in next year. It is something we are challenging ourselves with.
“We played Everton and West Brom in pre-season and I think we gave a really good account of ourselves in those games.”
Iredale played as a wing-back during the first half of last season but has been used in the wide centre-back role in recent weeks while Eoin Toal and George Johnston have been out of action.
The former Cambridge man has embraced playing in the back three and believes it is a natural fit for his attributes.
“I really enjoy that position,” he continued. “I think it suits me, to be honest. I can play a number of positions across that backline.
“I know I have played there every game this season but I think I am still learning that position.
“I have probably played 10 games in my whole career in the left of a back three, so every game I am going to get better.
“I feel confident in that position. Sometimes I am trying things that aren’t coming off but I am never going to stop trying things. I am going back myself and I think I will get the rewards from it.”
The Australian says there was a sense of frustration in the dressing room after failing to find a winner against Burton at the weekend.
He was encouraged by the side’s response to going behind early in the second half but admits they lacked quality in the vital moments.
“I think there were mixed emotions,” Iredale stated. “First of all, we know that we can be a lot better and we are coming with it from that mindset.
“After (Wigan) we wanted to bounce back. We definitely didn’t want to lose.
“We knew what kind of game they were going to make it for us, it was tough and scrappy. We stood up to the fight but I think our quality let us down.
“Looking at it from the positive side, we know we can be so much better and we have come away from a place like that with a point. We are still up the top end of the table and we really want to push on.”
He added: “We knew we needed to bounce back. We didn’t start the second half well enough and were punished, but we started to build some momentum and maybe could have won the game.
“But also, Nathan (Baxter) has made a couple of really good saves to keep us in the game. We know we have got character in the team.”
Wanderers had made a very promising start to the season prior to the Wigan defeat and find themselves third in the League One table at this early stage.
“We know it is going to be a long season and we have such high standards for ourselves,” Iredale explained.
“Both us and the fans expect us to be winning games and we are hand-in-hand with that. We are striving to make sure that we get as many points as possible.
“We want to win as many games as we can, and that is something we are all working towards and pushing together for.”
The 27-year-old admits his time on the sidelines last season was frustrating and is keen to make up for lost time whenever he steps over the white line.
“I have had injuries in my career but being out for that long last season was really tough,” he added.
“I didn’t play at all from January all the way through to the start of this season. It is something I am still trying to piece together and I have managed to string those games together.
“But I want to keep building and play as many games as possible. I think I will be able to get better and better.”
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