Tamen Looks To Kick On For Under-21s Ahead Of Villa Clash

Having put an injury-hit start to life at Everton behind him, young defender William Tamen is taking the positives and setting high standards from his first six months at Finch Farm.

Centre-half Tamen, a summer signing for our Under-21s from League One side Burton Albion, made just two Premier League 2 appearances for Paul Tait's side before suffering a meniscus root injury that required surgery.

After five months of rehabilitation, the 18-year-old has started the past three games for the Under-21s, playing 45 minutes in a victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, 82 minutes in a defeat to Southampton and playing his first full 90 in last week's impressive 2-2 draw with table-topping Fulham.

Tamen is targeting another 90 minutes tomorrow afternoon as the Under-21s travel to Bodymoor Heath to take on Aston Villa (2pm kick-off), a Premier League 2 clash that Official Members, Lounge and Season Ticket Members will be able to watch a live stream of on evertontv.

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"Obviously the last few months have not been easy," Tamen told evertonfc.com. "But I'm back, thank God and thank the staff here for looking after me.

"I'm just happy to be getting minutes out there and hopefully now I can get more 90 minutes, more games. We need to keep our run going and hopefully pick up a few wins on the way.

"I feel like with each game and each training session I'll get better. I have high standards for myself and I want to be able to give it my all.

"I want to be sharp out there and give everything to the team."

It has certainly been a hectic 18 months for Tamen, even away from the injury. He made his professional debut in August 2023 for Burton as a 17-year-old scholar in the EFL Trophy against, by quirk of fate, Tait's Under-21s, two months before playing his first League One game for the Brewers in a defeat at Peterborough United.

A loan spell in non-league followed at Mickleover before the youngster impressed Tait enough in the summer to be offered a three-year contract with the Blues, not that the youngster is about to rest on his laurels having secured a big move.

"I look at myself and think I can improve on everything," said Tamen. "Coming from Burton Albion, where you learn the other, more physical side of the game, here it's more technical and I think adding that to my game will just make me a better player.

"I want to show that I've learned that (physical) side of the game but also the technical side, which I can play. That's why I look mostly at ball-playing centre-halves, it's how the game is these days. I try to look up.

"I try to better myself each and every day with the coaching staff here, asking questions, doing extra on the pitch just to get that extra edge. 

"Knowing I've been out for a long time as well, it's good for me to get back into it, get back playing and get that sharpness as well. That's what I need."

That knee injury was clearly a blow for Tamen, coming just weeks after signing for the Blues.

Not that you would know that from speaking to Tamen himself, who immediately turned to the positives he was able to take from his enforced absence, particularly in how it helped him settle in a new area and among his new teammates.

"Obviously when I joined it was unfortunate that I had my injury early," Tamen said. "But I can obviously look at the positives.

"The injury has given me a time to reflect and get to know everyone. I've seen the ins and the outs of the way it works here and it's made me better out there on the pitch.

"Even with my teammates, I feel like we're more connected because that time on the sidelines has helped me get to know them better. It's made me build relationships which is good. 

"Obviously, you can see that out on the pitch. I'll be commanding them and clapping them on, because I feel like we're all a family here.

"We're all very close. It's just a good group when you're in the changing rooms and on team outings as well, there's a real togetherness and you need that.

"In tough moments, like we had out there against Southampton, as we come in we all look at ourselves, reflect and review it and then go again. It's as simple as that."

Tamen is also taking inspiration from his Under-21s teammates, particularly those who have been training with the Men's Senior Team in recent weeks.

"Everyone in the Academy strives to be where the first team are," said Tamen. "You look at people like Martin Sherif, they're getting those first team opportunities, same with Isaac Heath and Roman Dixon.

"It's where you want to be, they're training with them each and every day. When you're up there you better yourself because the standards are higher.

"That's where I aspire to be. Hopefully I can get more training sessions up there and learn a lot from players like James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite."