Tobi Adebayo-Rowling isn’t going to let complacency take over after returning to full-time football this season.

The athletic Ebbsfleet right-back has impressed in the opening few weeks of the National League South campaign - and he’s determined to get even better.

Adebayo-Rowling claims he’s not the best technical player - “I make up for it with my athleticism” - but he’s already working overtime to improve his play.

“The gaffer has me working on my touch,” he said. “I can improve most aspects of my game but that’s definitely one of them.

“I need to have greater consistency with my touch. I’m not the best technical player, some of the squad are unreal and you wonder how they are at this level.

“We had a session the other day where we worked on passing, headers, our touch and crossing, all split into different groups.

“I’ve been doing extra work after training as well. Some of it is off my own back, getting players to ping balls at me and improving my control.

“I want to work hard at it and improve. I also want to improve my end product when I get into good positions.”

Adebayo-Rowling has had plenty of experiences in the game already - despite being a week short of his 24th birthday.

He’s played in Ireland for Sligo Rovers and Cork City, in League 1 with Peterborough, and non-league at Bromley and Eastbourne, and now Ebbsfleet.

He’s not shy of making bold moves. He moved to Ireland at the age of 19 - “I didn’t even know they had a football league” - but the decision to return to full-time ranks with the Fleet was probably the most straight-forward he’s taken.

“It was a no-brainer,” he said. “I snapped their hand off as soon as they told me!

“I didn’t have too many offers, Eastbourne offered me again but there was nothing else concrete because of the Covid situation.

“Having dropped into part-time football, I thought I might not get back to full-time. The majority of teams in National League South are part-time and I thought that was the way for me so it was quite random when Steve Lovell called me.

“It was hard to balance everything when at Eastbourne as the league is so intense. I was working at a school, doing personal training and playing for Eastbourne.”

There’s a common theme when you talk to Adebayo-Rowling. He’s a wise head on young shoulders, not concerned by social media but enjoying the experiences that football brings.

Maybe some of that comes from moving to Ireland as a teenager.

“I was thinking Ireland? I didn’t even know that they had a league - I thought they only played Gaelic football,” said Adebayo-Rowling.

“Shamrock Rovers was the only team that I’d heard of but the thing with Ireland is the top four sides play in Europe, either the Champions League or the Europa League - Dundalk played Arsenal last week.

“It was a bit of a risk going there but it was a really good experience. The league is under-estimated, it’s a good standard and the Irish people are a great laugh.”

Even on the streams that bring Fleet matches into the front rooms of their fans this season with games being played behind closed doors, supporters can’t help but be impressed by Adebayo-Rowling’s drive from right-back.

His strong running - “I was quite good at athletics as a kid, my parents were both into running” - and positive approach play fit in nicely with manager Dennis Kutrieb’s style of play.

Much has already been said of the Fleet’s impressive fitness levels this season. Adebayo-Rowling is certainly among the fittest.

He was quickest in the sprints at the start of the season although there were a few contenders over the longer distance. Lee Martin - “I can’t believe he is 33 and has that engine” - Ben Chapman - “He can run for days” - along with Alfie Egan and Iffy Allen get notable mentions.

“At the start of pre-season, I was so impressed when we got the heart-rate monitors and were doing double sessions,” he added. “It was so professional.

“I spoke to Dennis before and he told me he was total football and the strategies he had. At first you are thinking it’s too difficult but it seems to work.

“I really enjoy it. When you have to play long then you can, but I’ve been in teams before when you play from the back and if you get pressed then you hoof it.

“At Ebbsfleet, even if you make a mistake he gives you that licence and makes you feel confident to keep doing it.

“It’s a bit wild but it’s good.”

Primarily a right-back, Adebayo-Rowling has been used as a centre-back already this season.

But it’s his forward-thinking role under Kutrieb’s vision that excites him most.

“I’ve been pretty happy with my form,” he added. “I’ve played centre-back a few times but I like right-back with the way the manager likes to play.

“The full-backs can be like wingers, you get a lot of the ball in attack.

“I like that and that’s my game, I like to go forward. I’m a runner really, and he gives me that licence.”

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