The former coach of Lee Harkin says he’s ‘never seen’ a player of such talent before.
Immensely talented 16-year-old Harkin has joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on a three-year contract after impressing during a prolonged trial period.
Harkins has also enjoyed trials at Manchester United and Celtic during his fledgling football career. The Red Devils even invited Harkin and his family to their Premier League match against Tottenham at Old Trafford last season to whet his appetite.
But it's Wolves who have prised him away from Londonderry.
It was in a game against United that Harkin shot to fame in Northern Ireland. The diminutive attacker, who was just 15 at the time, scored twice for County Londonderry in their 2-1 victory over United.
Footage of that game in the Super Cup NI - available here via the BBC - has only stirred excitement amongst Wolves fans, and a man who’s worked closely with Harkin believes the Molineux men have secured a unique starlet.
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“There’s no question that he has the ability to make a career for himself,” Martin Smith, who coached Harkin in Derry, told the Derry Journal. “He doesn’t feel like he should be treated any different than anybody else in training. Whatever you ask him to do he’ll do it.
“He has a really good attitude and is really easy to work with.
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“For a player with his ability, he also works extremely hard as well. He definitely mucks in and does the dirty work as well. He’s young but has a lot going for him and he has a good chance of doing well for himself.
"He’s not one of those high maintenance players, he’s really down to earth and will do everything you ask to the best of his ability.
“If he keeps his head down, looks after himself and keeps progressing the way he should be then he has a really good chance.
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“There’s no reason, if he continues to develop, you won’t be watching him on TV in the next four or five years.
“But it’s going to come down to him. Like everyone at that age group, when everything else comes into play and all the distractions that he’ll face, it needs focus.
“We knew he was capable of it. We had a really strong squad but you’re not going to see many better (than Harkin). I’ve never seen it and I said to the other coaches; ‘We’re never going to see this again’ in terms of what we’re working with.”
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