Owen Coyle has long been keeping a watchful eye over Lawrence Shankland’s career.
And he has also had a guiding hand on it.
Family connections have seen the former Dundee United player taking a keen interest in the development of the present day Tannadice talisman.
And Coyle has predicted that if Shankland eventually crosses the border to play in England – as he did – the prolific striker’s career curve will continue upwards.
Not that he feels the 24-year-old Championship title winner should be in any rush to leave his old club, however.
“It’s brilliant to see what Lawrence has done in these last couple of seasons,” Coyle told Courier Sport.
“I grew up in the Gorbals with Lawrence’s dad. We’ve been on holiday together many, many times. Lawrence was a small boy when we were all out in Florida.
“His dad asked me to take a look at him play when he was starting out with Queen’s Park.
“I watched that team a few times. It had Lawrence, Andy Robertson and a few others who got moves in it.
“There was no doubt, even then, that he was going to be a player.
“It was me who got him to Ayr United with Ian McCall. I knew they would be really good for each other because of the type of attacking football Ian likes his teams to play.
“We’ve all seen how effective Lawrence is if he gets the right service.
“He’d been at Aberdeen before and it wasn’t as if he’d done badly there.
“Derek (McInnes) was able to spend money on number nines at the time. So it was always going to be a challenge for a young man to break into the first team at one of the biggest clubs in the country.
“He’s always had goals in him and what has happened at Ayr, and then at United, is that he’s grown into the role of being the first pick and being the main man.
“He’s under contract and won’t be going anywhere until Dundee United decide the time is right for them.”
Coyle added: “The Scotland thing has been big for his confidence as well.
“Some people love to be negative and would have been looking at a player who is in the Scottish Championship getting capped. But when he played he took the ball in well and didn’t look out of place.
“He’s earned his chance and I hope he’s in the next Scotland squad.
“I’ve had plenty of people asking me about him and you’ll never know how good he can be until he gets the next opportunity.
“What I do know is he is hungry and grounded. He doesn’t have a big ego. He’ll continue to do really well because he’s a great kid from a great background.”
Coyle has played with and managed some excellent centre-forwards in his 35 years in football. One of those was Bolton Wanderers strike partner, John McGinlay, who was capped by Scotland on 13 occasions, scoring four times.
“Lawrence has got a lot of similarities to John in terms of his physique, he’s good in the air and he can take the ball in,” said the former St Johnstone boss.
“He can finish, head the ball and has got goals in him off right foot and left foot.
“And he’s still developing. From seeing him all the way through from his Queen’s Park days, he’s a much more rounded player now.
“He doesn’t have to score to contribute to the team. That’s a big thing for a centre-forward. We’ve all seen plenty of goalscorers who, if they don’t find the net, it’s hard to see what else they’ve done in a game.
“Lawrence is a team player, like John was. He’s helping to get Dundee United back to where they should be.
“They’re a top four or top five club. That’s where they belong.”
