The early success story of Owen Beck’s loan switch to Dundee is one that can benefit the club for years to come.
That’s the view of manager Tony Docherty as he praised the impact made by the young Liverpool full-back.
His performances for the Dark Blues have led to a first call-up to the senior Wales squad this week.
Beck, whose great-uncle is Liverpool and Wales great Ian Rush, could make his international bow next Wednesday night in a friendly at home to Gibraltar.
He’ll then join the U/21 side for their key Euro qualifier away to Czechia on the Friday.
Docherty is delighted for the youngster as he joins Lyall Cameron and Josh Mulligan in heading off on international duty following Saturday’s home clash with Ross County.
But he knows Beck won’t be standing still thinking he’s made it now he’s in the Wales squad.
“It is full credit to the boy. He is a fantastic player to work with,” Docherty said.
“With the loan system, that’s how you hope things would work.
“First of all it is my job and the staff’s job to make sure Dundee are successful so he comes into our team and he makes us better.
“I have to give a lot of credit to all the staff for the amount of work that goes into Owen in terms of his development.
“But getting that recognition is massively down to him.
“We are all delighted and it is a great feeling when you hear that someone you are working with gets that recognition.
“It is good and you take pride in that as a staff. It shows you are doing something right.
“Owen in particular with his attitude and the type of boy he is deserves every credit he gets from that recognition.
“Knowing him though he won’t rest on his laurels, he will go and go again.
“So I am absolutely delighted for him.”
Beck revealed this week that Liverpool were pleased to send him up to Scotland to learn the game.
That’s due to the sheer volume of matches in the lower leagues down south with Scottish sides afforded much more time on the training ground between games.
And Docherty is determined to ensure Dundee are seen as a place for big clubs to send their young talent to develop.
“Owen had a lot of suitors but hopefully with the relationship we developed with him, we said – and it was genuine – if we could develop him as a footballer then it was a realistic ambition to gain international recognition,” Docherty explained.
“Now that he has been playing regularly, he is confident and is working so hard on the training field improving aspects of his game, he is getting that recognition.
“So I am pleased with that but knowing Owen, it is only a starting point.
“It’s also a good advert for the football club. It’s got to benefit Dundee, getting the best players and helping develop them into better players.
“It is a good strategy going forward for the football club.
“It is a win/win in terms of whenever we are trying to attract that calibre of player again, we can say, well here’s an example.
“And I can say that to Owen as well. I have worked with James Maddison, Danny Ward and Max Lowe and Stuart Taylor has done the same in his career.
“It is important that you get the benefit from that but all the credit goes to Owen for being the type of boy he is, his ambition and the way he applies himself every day.”
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