If there’s a phrase that probably hasn’t been used in connection throughout Charlie Telfer’s career it’s “under the radar”.
As a kid at Rangers there were grumblings over him not being handed more first-team opportunities by then-boss Ally McCoist.
Then there was fury when he was poached away by Dundee United in the summer of 2014.
That switch led to more headlines as a transfer tribunal decided the Tangerines should pay £200,000 for him. That sent shockwaves reverberating around the Scottish game.
That kind of fee for a player who was still only 18 and had made just one appearance at first-team level was unprecedented.
It meant Telfer arrived carrying an enormous level of expectation. Fans wanted to see what this kid was all about.
Things started well as he made his debut as a sub in an opening- weekend victory over Aberdeen.
Gaffer Jackie McNamara had stressed he was one for the future and for a while Telfer was used sparingly in the first team.
His first start came that November but there was more encouragement as he scored in a 3-0 win over St Mirren.
His stock with Arabs then grew as he scored the sixth goal in the New Year derby demolition of Dundee.
Two more followed against Motherwell and, although the team’s results dipped, by the end of the season he’d made 25 appearances.
As United’s decline accelerated last term, though, Telfer struggled and the arrival of Mixu Paatelainen saw him drop out of the picture before being loaned to Livingston in January.
His United career looked in jeopardy and there were suggestions he was free to go.
Another change of manager this summer in the shape of Ray McKinnon and his return from that loan exile has brought a change of fortunes.
His 11 appearances this term represents three more than he managed for United all last season and he’s playing the best football of his time at Tannadice.
With the likes of Tony Andreu, Scott Fraser, Willo Flood grabbing the headlines, it’s been done ‘under the radar’.
His manager has noticed the quality of his work and believes he’s living up to the early hype.
Ray admits when he took over the team, he had his concerns.
“Charlie’s been a bonus for me. I thought when we saw him down at Livingston last year when I was at Raith he looked like he’d maybe lost a wee bit of interest,” he said.
“But he’s come back and he’s got fitter.
“I believe he had a wee pot belly before but he doesn’t have it now.
“He’s looking fit, he’s got an opportunity and he’s grabbing it.
“He trains incredibly and he’s one of the fitter ones here. His running in games is massive and he’s doing a very good job.”
And what he’s seen with the naked eye is backed up by the figures of the player’s most recent performance.
“On Saturday I got Bow (coach Dave Bowman) to do the stats on him for getting into the box and first half he did it 10 times, which is great for a midfielder.
“He gets specifics about what he’s got to do in games, they all do, and so long as they’re clear and he can understand them I do think that helps him.
“Last Saturday he was told when Tope Obadeyi got the ball wide he had to get into the box and the number of times he did it was excellent.
“I think he’s been doing well for a few games now and I’ve been really pleased with Charlie.”
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