A change of mindset and focused training are key to Joe Gbode’s continued development.
The Gills striker hit the winner against AFC Wimbledon and feels more confident now than before.
He’s also benefiting from the work that’s been done on his finishing, working hard with assistant boss Richard Dobson.
Gbode said: “It’s very good to have him (Dobson) because apart from really Neil Harris, I haven’t really had someone to really teach me how to finish.
“There are certain aspects that I have to polish and it’s good to have them here. It’s paying off big time.
“People forget that I’m fairly new to professional football. I’m learning every day about being consistent in my diet, in my application to the game.
“People don’t understand that a lot of the off-the-pitch stuff has an impact on it. 90% of what we do off the pitch impacts what we do on the pitch.
“I feel like at times I’ve been inconsistent and that’s because of my application off the pitch. Now I’ve figured it out a little bit and I’m still getting used to it.
“How you spend your time away from football matters a lot to your on-the-pitch performance.
“A big change has been my diet, which has been very inconsistent. Some of the boys in the changing room will tell you that I do love a few snacks sometimes.
“It’s my mindset as well towards the game. Before, I felt as though I approached games in the wrong way, with the wrong mentality. I often put pressure on myself and I let football dictate my emotions.
“Recently, my mindset has changed. I just play with a free mind. I just play to enjoy it.
“I don’t put pressure on myself to score. I just see it as playing football. Obviously, at the end of the day, football is a business, and you’ve got to produce, otherwise you don’t play but if you put yourself under pressure to score, it’s just going to create chaos in your mind, and as a player, you need to play with a free mind.”
Gbode has plenty of experience around him to learn from, including Bradley Dack, whose run into space to collect a pass and then lay-off for Gbode to finish created the winner against Wimbledon.
Gbode said: “The set from Dacky gave me the information I needed to hit it first time. Obviously, I’d been working on my finishing, with the Gaffer and Dobbo the assistant.
“It was a good moment. I enjoyed it, especially because I haven’t scored many this seasons, so the fact that the hard work on the training ground paid off on Monday is good.
“(Dack’s) a very intelligent player. Sometimes, he’s so intelligent, he does things that I, myself and some others, can’t really read what he’s going to do. After he does it, you realise what he’s trying to do. He’s very fun to play with and very fun to watch as well.”
Gbode’s enjoyed games out wide, which is his more natural position, but is working on becoming the focal point upfront. He’s got Oli Hawkins to look up to for guidance.
Gbode said: “He’s probably the best I’ve ever seen, just pinning players and controlling the ball, especially with a lot of pressure on him.
“He’s so good at it, so he’s someone that I obviously take tips from and learn from in that aspect, and in a lot of other aspects as well.
“I feel like it’ll bring another dimension to my game. As I go further on in my career, I can be useful in many different aspects, not just in one or two, but maybe three or four aspects.
“Oli’a an experienced figure and he helps me out a lot, and a lot of the other young players in the changing room too.”
It wasn’t just Gbode’s goal that caught the attention on Monday. His choreographed dance celebration with team-mates Shad Ogie and Aaron Rowe got plenty of views online.
Not everybody joined in, with Max Clark a bystander, a bit like a dad at a disco.
Gbode says they’ve planned something new this weekend and how the celebration was a sign of the good vibes in the squad.
“We’re going to do something on Saturday that everyone can join in with,” said the striker.
“I feel like that just brought us together more, because everyone’s talking about it. I’ve seen it go viral on TikTok.
“I enjoy the changing room. Everyone gets along. I’ve never been in a changing room where everyone gets along the way we do. There’s a lovely chemistry so I don’t want the season to end, but obviously, I do want to have a nice holiday!”
“But I’m going to be working hard in the off-season. That’s the aim because we know we’re trying to get promoted.”
