Caley Thistle manager Richie Foran believes the best is yet to come from midfielder Liam Polworth.
The 22-year-old took his opportunity to become a regular starter under previous manager John Hughes at the start of last season, and has continued to thrive under Foran this term.
Polworth was recently sidelined for five weeks with an ankle injury, but made his return in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Kilmarnock when he filled in at right back in place of the injured Lewis Horner.
Former Caley Jags captain Foran is convinced the Inverness-born player can progress even further, and he said: “Off the park he’s really coming out of his shell. I sat with him in the dressing room for years and didn’t hear a peep out of him. Now he’s one of the first voices I hear. He’s loud and has craic with the players. That’s benefiting him on the park because he expresses himself with the football.
“He’s aggressive on the football and is tackling and heading too, which he hadn’t done over the past couple of seasons. He can become the complete footballer if he keeps progressing, so I still think there’s lots more to come from him.
“He’s a clever player and can see a pass. He’s great to have in the squad. Our youth coaches must take some credit, for the likes of him and Ryan Christie, but there’s still more to come.
“I think he can go on to a higher level than what he is and it doesn’t surprise me that he’s come back early. That’s the kind of man he is. He hasn’t missed a lot of training over the years. His diet is good – he doesn’t touch alcohol and his nutrition is good. He’s fit, strong and eager to get going again.”
Horner will undergo a scan on the knee injury which forced him to be substituted at Rugby Park at the weekend, however Lonsana Doumbouya, who suffered a dead leg, and Brad McKay, who came off with a broken nose, will be fit for Saturday’s game against Rangers at Ibrox.
Foran is already looking forward to next month’s winter break as an opportunity to rest his squad, and he added: “The players need time to recover. There’s quite a few playing through niggling injuries. Ideally they shouldn’t be playing, but we need them at the moment.”
