Updated at 22.59
ASTON VILLA CARETAKER boss Eric Black has tipped 19-year-old Irish defender Kevin Toner to have a big future in the game, after the youngster made his Premier League debut off the bench against Southampton last week.
The young Irishman has previously spoken of the “crazy feeling” of making his first-team bow, after coming on for Micah Richards, and Black today told reporters that the Ireland U19 international has the right attitude to succeed at the top level.
Nevertheless, the coach added that the decision to introduce him in last week’s match was not one he took lightly.
“I’m absolutely delighted for him,” he said. “There has to be a process in place prior to him actually getting on the pitch.
“It involves watching him in the U21s, speaking to his coaches about his mentality, looking with the analysts at how physical he is, (asking) can he cope with a certain level of football. And then bringing him into first-team training, giving him a good week to get involved with that. And at that point, you’re still not 100% sure.
He deserves enormous credit. I’ve been really refreshed by his mentality and the desire to be a football player. It’s something that’s sadly missing at times now. So to see a young man who’s so passionate about being a football player and will do anything to be a football player is wonderful.
“Whether he goes on to play for Man United, I’m not sure, but with the attributes I’ve seen in the past two or three weeks, he’ll have a career in football.”
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