He may still only be a fresh-faced 17-year-old but Dundee United’s Ryan Gauld is determined that he will establish himself as a first-choice pick in Jackie McNamara’s team this season.
The teenager gave the Tangerines faithful a glimpse of his dazzling array of skills when the manager handed him a chance to impress towards the end of the last campaign.
Now, the product of the Tannadice youth system conveyor belt of talent, is aiming to carry on from where he left off and repay McNamara’s faith in his ability.
Gauld said: “Hopefully this will be the year that I can push on.
I want to start games at the beginning of the seasont, that’s my aim. I hope to do well and keep my place in the team.
“I learned a lot last season, particularly about the pace of the game. You have to move the ball sharply. That’s the big thing.
“Everyone helped me through it which any young player in my position needs. So this year I just need to keep my head down and work hard to carry things on.”
Gauld was handed a start against in the midweek friendly against Dunfermline and capped an assured performance with a sublime goal straight from a free-kick.
He came mighty close to doubling his tally from another dead-ball situation and he admits he would like to sample more set-piece success when the season starts in earnest against Partick Thistle next week.
Gauld said: “I was delighted with my goal. It was a good angle for me.
“I’ve hit a few in training but none really as good as that, to be honest. Hopefully, I can get a few more like that this season although any kind of goal would be good!
“But obviously it’s a really good feeling to score a free-kick like that. The second one I tried was just a wee bit too high but I’ll keep on trying them in the future because if you keep practising you can only get better.”
Meanwhile, McNamara was full of praise for the youngster and his special goal.
He said: “It was a wonderful strike from young Ryan.
“He’s got that in his locker. He really is a very talented young player with loads of potential.
“You can see that by the way he turns and the vision he has on the pitch. He’s an exciting kid.”