Small in size but big in impact, Lyall Cameron is enjoying life at Dundee.
The 21-year-old burst onto the Championship scene last season and hoovered up every club award after a stellar breakthrough campaign.
This term he has carried his stellar form into the Premiership, making himself a firm fixture in Tony Docherty’s top-six side.
Such has been the level of his performances that he’s been nominated by his fellow players for the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award.
Cameron is also a key man in Scot Gemmill’s Scotland U/21 squad and has ambitions to achieve qualification for European football at Dens Park this season.
Role models
But the youngster admits his rise to the top table of Scottish football has been far from easy.
Being told he was too small to make it early on only spurred him on further.
And he has a couple of role models who both made it to the very top to show him what is possible.
“One that comes into my head straightaway is Antoine Griezmann,” Cameron told media at the PFA Scotland nominees event.
“Obviously he has still done a lot better than me in football, right enough.
“He was told at an early age that he was too small as well.
“I think it is always going to be a thing, isn’t it?
“People see your physicality side and automatically it is a cross against your name.”
Strachan
The other role model is a bit closer to home.
Gordon Strachan was a diminutive attacker who came through at Dundee himself before winning a European trophy with Aberdeen, an FA Cup at Manchester United and the league title with Leeds.
Now technical director, the former Scotland boss has taken a keen interest in the emerging young talent at Dens Park.
“He (Strachan) is the one that has always believed in me and pushed for me to get games at Dundee so him being at Dundee and being a big figure there has been really important,” Cameron added.
“I might not have been here without him, to be honest.
“I still had a year left on my deal and then we got relegated to the Championship.
“So I thought, ‘it is now or never really’.
“I went out there and performed well and worked hard and that has got me to where I am now.”
The future?
Dundee are anticipating interest in their young star this summer after such a successful acclimatisation to top-flight football.
There could well be the exciting prospect of European football at Dens Park next season as well.
Cameron, though, is keeping his feet on the ground and is refusing to look beyond the four remaining games they have to catch St Mirren in fifth spot.
“Honestly I don’t have a clue what is going to happen over the summer,” he added.
“I just want to have focus on these next four games and if something comes up it comes up. I just need to wait and see.”
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