Keith Long is backing his neighbour Dylan Watts to put his name in lights this season and to power a Bohemians surge up the table.
Signed on loan from Leicester City, the former UCD man ran the show in Friday’s 2-1 derby win over Shamrock Rovers.
The 21-year-old pulled the strings in midfield and left his more decorated rivals Ronan Finn and Greg Bolger in the shade. And Long knew exactly what he was signing as Watts lives just a few doors down from him.
Ahead of tonight’s clash with in-form Derry City at the Brandywell, Gypsies boss Long said: “Dylan showed us what he’s made of on Friday.
“That’s the benchmark for him as a player. It’s taken him a while to settle in. He’s quiet. The younger boys are quiet, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t got personality.
“Sometimes it takes a while to get to know players and their personalities. Dylan lives five doors from me.
“He was at St Joseph’s Boys but he played football against the wall every day, every night. I’d come in and out and he’d be out there all day with a ball.
“You don’t see that too often now so I’m happy for him, I’m happy that he did so well. He was very good for us on Friday.”
Watts, who signed for the Foxes on deadline day in August 2016, is on loan with Bohs until the summer but Long wants to keep him for the season.
“His control, his injection of pace in his passing, he can get up and down the pitch, he can pass it short and long,” said the Bohs boss.
Long saw young guns like Watts, Danny Grant and Darragh Leahy leave their mark on Rovers and wants more of the same in Derry tonight.
“We need to make sure we kick on - we need to climb the table and use this as the catalyst,” he said.
But rejuvenated Derry beat Waterford 1-0 on Friday and face into this clash looking for a seventh win on the trot.
Boss Kenny Shiels said: “The work levels and commitment were fantastic against Waterford.
“I just hope we didn’t leave too much on the pitch because Bohemians had a fantastic result themselves on Friday.”
If you haven't already, be sure to like our Irish Mirror Sport and Irish Mirror GAA pages on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
