The rise and rise of Dundee United goalkeeper Luis Zwick is a “fairytale story” according to assistant manager Simon Donnelly.
The 21-year-old was given the nod to start the season as United’s number one after being brought to Tannadice as an amateur the previous summer.
Zwick, who battled epilepsy as a youngster, e-mailed an application video to clubs across Britain.
He has grasped the opportunity with both hands and, after an impressive live TV performance against Celtic at the weekend, Zwick’s goalkeeping talent now speaks for itself.
“Luis is a real fairytale story,” Donnelly said. “Coming from the amateurs into our first team within a season.
“You have to give him real credit because he’s not had it easy.
“He’s an example of what you can do when you really want something and you work at it.
“Luis has been focused on becoming a football player, he’s put the graft in and he’s taken his chance.
“He’s come over here to a foreign country as an amateur, worked at his game and is holding down the position as our first team.
“It was clear straight away that he had the desire, he wanted this so badly and was prepared to fight for it.
“It’s a great story.”
Donnelly added: “Luis has a great temperament, he’s calm and composed and that’s the kind of attitude you want right throughout your team.
“He handled the game against Celtic very well and when guys that age go into that sort of arena, handle themselves like that it tells you they have a big future in the game.
“Younger goalkeepers are getting their chance across Europe now, it used to be that people had to wait until their mid-20s.
“But now it’s a case of if you’re good enough you’re old enough and that’s what we think about Luis.
“He has been fantastic.
“Now, he’ll make mistakes because all players do but it’s about how you handle it and from what we’ve seen of him he’s a real prospect.”
Meanwhile, Donnelly hopes 16-year-old defender Harry Souttar’s appetite will have been whetted by making the bench last weekend.
“He’ll have enjoyed his wee taste of being with the first team,” Donnelly said.
“He’s been training more and more with the first team. The quality is there and his time will come.
“I can only go on how I would have felt to have got on the bench at that age. It’s a buzz for these boys, a wee reward. Scott Lochhead’s had a taste as well. It’s an incentive to get back there again and get on the pitch.”