Gannon backs Slane for big stage

MOTHERWELL have produced their fair share of players for the Scotland team in recent years, with James McFadden, Stephen Pearson, Steven Hammell and David Clarkson all rising through the ranks to represent their country.

However, new manager Jim Gannon believes that, in the slight frame of 17-year-old winger Paul Slane, he may be in possession of the most stellar talent to emerge from the Lanarkshire club for decades. Indeed, such is the impact Slane has made during the club's Europa League campaign that Gannon claims he's a better prospect than England striker Theo Walcott, who left Southampton for Arsenal at the same age in a 12.5 million deal three years ago.

"For me, Paul epitomises everything you would want in a wide attacker," said Gannon. "He has pace, but it's pace with the ball that excites the fans and is the most amazing thing about him. He travels very well with it and is two-footed. He also has a fantastic appetite for the game.

"We aren't going to expect too much from him. It's going to be a very demanding season for him – it's already been a demanding pre-season because he's had to step up for European games.

"I'm looking forward to working with him. As an old coach said, it is everybody's dream to be working with the next Zico, even though my young players won't know who Zico is! Paul doesn't have the same pace as Theo Walcott but I think he is more skilful. He moves better and has more agility and balance, he can move inside and outside."

Gannon has thus far preferred youth over experience when it comes to team selection. Teenagers Jamie Murphy, Shaun Hutchinson, Ross Forbes, Steven Saunders and Robert McHugh have broken through, while the players the manager has brought to the club – Chris Humphrey (20), Giles Coke (23) and Steve Jennings (24) – are nearer the beginning than the end of their careers. Even John Ruddy, the goalkeeper on loan from Everton, is only 22.

"I came in with fresh eyes and was very open- minded," said Gannon. "They say first impressions last and I watched the team against Rhyl in a pre-season match. In many ways that was a very disappointing display, losing to them 3-1 prior to losing to Llanelli. At first you give due respect to those players who have SPL experience or have a reputation, but there were players who caught my eye in the first couple of games. It's a clean slate for everybody now."

Striker John Sutton, a veteran at 25, has watched the next generation of native talent progress and he's been impressed by the way the youngsters have coped with their rapid ascent.

"I started at Tottenham and I was stuck in the youth team there," he said. "We never got near the first team, we never played or developed relations with them.That's the advantage of being at a club like Motherwell. The young guys get an opportunity to train and play with us all the time. I looked at Paul and thought he'd eventually be a big player for us."