DEVELOPMENT coach Luca Gabriel insists there is plenty more to come from Worcester City's production line after Tyreece Ruddock signed a two-year professional scholarship with Walsall.
Birmingham-based teen Ruddock, a member of City's youth set-up for the past three years, was picked from a group of Saddlers trialists and could be fashioned from a winger into a central striker.
"Tyreece has done really well after coming to us three years ago," said Gabriel. "He had been around the circuit, including West Brom briefly when I was there, and had quite a few knock backs.
"We spent a lot of time getting him to where he is. He became a pivotal part of the set up here and went from strength to strength.
"The difference between him and some of the other players is how hard he works. When practice finished, he would go to the gym the next day and work on his physicality and has his own strength and conditioning programme.
"From what I understand, it was the physical aspects of his game that set him apart. There were five other trialists at the time and he blew away the fitness records, coming second overall in the under-18s and smashed it in his own age group.
"He is not the finished article but is one of the most honest, hardworking young boys that has come through our system so he will progress and learn."
On the prospect of more City starlets breaking into the professional ranks, Gabriel added: "We have more like him in the set-up, it is just down to timing.
"It is not just about how good they are as footballers. Psychological, physical and social aspects come into it as well as the tactical and technical things, you have to have the whole package. There are more here that might not be ready now but they will get there.
"We have eight under-17s playing for the under-21s who have won four from four with the best defensive record so far. We are doing really well."
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