Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara has praised striker Nadir Ciftci for his all-round contribution to the cause since signing for the Tannadice club.
Ciftci’s stunning volley proved to be enough to earn all three points at Kilmarnock’s expense on Saturday and took the Turk’s goal-scoring tally to five in all competitions so far this season.
But McNamara insists there is more to the former Portsmouth star’s game than just sticking the ball in the back of the net.
“Ciftci has been great,” he told Courier Sport.
“You can see that he can play through the middle but he played wider there at the weekend which gives us options. He’s strong and you can see his attributes.
“He’s quick and he can strike a ball. He’s still only 21-years-old as well I know he looks a good bit older with that beard but he’s a young lad and he’ll just keep improving.
“But he’s important for us defensively as well.
“You go back to the first game against Partick, sometimes when you have players coming from foreign soil they can be more all-out attack if they are wingers but he spent a lot of that match chasing the full-back when they had possession against us.
“Now you can see he’s adapting, he comes back for set pieces and he’s a big lad.
“Hopefully he’ll keep improving into a really top player.”
Ciftci was, of course, signed as a striker and McNamara has been delighted with his versatility when it comes slotting into the forward roles.
He added: “He’s formed a good partnership with David Goodwillie and I’ve been able to mix and match them about in the last few weeks as well.
“I’ve gone with three up starting Nadir in the middle, Goodie inside him on the right and Brian Graham on the left, but in the Hearts game I’ve started him on the left and Goodie in the middle.
“At the weekend there he was on the left side, so it’s good that he can adapt and change to suit.”