Jonjoe Kenny: ‘I didn’t come to Germany just to play football – I want to be a real part of the Schalke way’ Having impressed in the Bundesliga on loan from Everton, Kenny credits former Huddersfeld boss David Wagner with rebuilding his confidence

Last season was not an easy one for Jonjoe Kenny. Having made his first-team breakthrough the previous year during a long spell on the sidelines for Seamus Coleman, he had been a bright light amidst the gloom of a campaign in which Everton sacked Ronald Koeman, struggled under David Unsworth and endured Sam Allardyce before eventually finishing eighth.

With the arrival of Marco Silva, Kenny found his opportunities more limited. “When I was at Everton, I wasn’t playing as regularly as I wanted to and, coming in [to the team] every five, six, seven weeks, you’re not match-ready,” he tells i. “It doesn’t matter how much you train, how hard you work, you need game time.”

Now on loan at Schalke in the Bundesliga, game time hasn’t been a problem for Kenny. He has been undisputed first choice at right back under David Wagner, who monitored him closely during his own time in the Premier League and followed his progress through England’s youth teams before deciding to sign him. A temporary deal suited Schalke, with the club operating on a limited budget after a season in which they flirted with relegation.

Speaking to i back in September, Wagner said that Kenny was “already close to being a fan favourite” and “one of the best signings which we have made this summer.” How did it feel to get a glowing review from his manager so early on? “I really appreciate what he said, obviously,” says Kenny. “I owe a huge ‘thank you’ to him for believing in me and taking me over here.”

Kenny credits Wagner with helping to rebuild his self-belief this term, citing the former Huddersfield boss as one of the main reasons he decided to move to Germany. “I spoke to the coach a lot before I came over and he really made me want to come and play for Schalke. Of course it’s a huge club with a lot of history so I was really happy to join, but [for him] to say that I’ve been a good signing, I think that’s all about him, the way he’s put a lot of confidence into my game and let me show people my main strengths, so I really appreciate that. It’s really helped me to improve, not just in terms of football but outside of football too.”

Having been at Everton since he was nine, punctuated only by brief loan spells at Oxford United and Wigan, Kenny wanted to get a fresh perspective at Schalke as well as more game time. Asked about how he has acclimatised to life in Germany, he says: “It was always going to be difficult, of course, but I was looking forward to coming out of my comfort zone.”

He’s working on his German and, while he can only speak a little, he understands enough to communicate with those teammates who aren’t fluent in English. More than that, he’s tried to immerse himself in the way of life in Gelsenkirchen. “Straightaway I wanted to get involved,” he says. “I didn’t want to be a player who, if I was only here for one year, just came to play football. I wanted to be a real part of the Schalke way, I wanted to get a good idea of the life[style] and the language and take it all in.”

Much as he wanted to strike out in a new direction, Kenny wouldn’t have been able to do it without a strong support network behind him. “My family and friends come over a lot, which is all that matters,” he says. “They come over and support me so, when I’m with them, home’s anywhere really… my mum and dad especially, they’re always there for me and they come to a lot of games and fly over a lot.”

Schalke are much improved and fighting for a European spot this season, with Kenny often singled out for his strong performances. Asked how Wagner has raised his game, he says: “Tactics-wise [he’s asked me] to get forward, to get into the box more and to try to provide more situations for the team to create chances. Also, defensively, he’s been fantastic in the way [he’s asked me] to be more aggressive, to be on the front foot a lot more, and I really think that’s improved my game and helped me this season.”

Despite the upturn under Wagner, the last month or so has been tough for Schalke and has included big defeats to Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig. “I think playing away to Bayern Munich was the hardest game for me,” says Kenny. “It’s just continuous, they have the ball and when you get the ball at times it’s really difficult.” He points to Bayern beating Chelsea and Leipzig beating Tottenham in the Champions League as evidence of the Bundesliga’s fierce competitiveness. “It’s been good for me to come over here and realise how good the Bundesliga really is.”

Though Kenny will have a decision to make on his future at the end of the season, he’s not fixated on it. “We’ve got five or six big games coming up before the next international break and I don’t try to look too far ahead until the end of the season, ‘cos I honestly don’t know,” he says. While he has not spoken to Carlo Ancelotti since he replaced Silva as Everton manager in December, he is grateful to director of football Marcel Brands for making his loan to Schalke go smoothly. “Obviously I owe a massive ‘thank you’ to Everton for letting me come out here and just letting me play.”