Lyndon Kane has revealed how West Ham United new boy Patrick Kelly brought an almost instant “wow” factor to his first senior training session with former club Coleraine.
Kelly, who joined the Hammers on a three-year deal on Friday, earned his move to the London Stadium after an impressive debut season with the Bannsiders.
And Coleraine vice captain Kane believes the 17-year-old boasts the quality and character to make the most of his chance with the Premier League club.
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He also fondly remembers Kelly turning heads when he was first introduced to the senior set-up by Showgrounds boss Oran Kearney at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.
“Everyone knew Patrick’s name around the club from a young age, but it was only when he came in to train with the senior squad that we got to see him up close,” said Kane.
“He was only 16, he was stick thin and didn’t really speak much, but once he started training, you could see the ability he had. He ‘wowed’ a few people straightaway.
“He was probably still playing within himself a bit and I think he was only doing his GCSE exams at the time, so it was probably a bit of a shock to him.
“But once he got one or two weeks behind him and he maybe nutmegged or went past someone, you could see the confidence flow.”
Kelly, who has already represented Northern Ireland at U19 level, made his Coleraine debut off the bench in September while his first start came in a 3-1 win over Larne in November.
“Oran didn’t tell anyone that Patrick was starting so when he named the team, it probably came as a surprise to him and us, but he grabbed it with both hands,” said Kane.
“The one thing I’d say about him is, he has no fear and for a 17-year-old he has the football intelligence of someone a lot older. He sees things other people don’t.
“He has an ability to pick up pockets of space and he also has the legs to carry the ball and drive the team forward. He has a lot of good attributes.”
On Kelly securing a move to West Ham for an undisclosed fee, long serving full-back Kane believes the “sky’s the limit” for the talented teenager in England.
“He’s one of those kids who takes everything onboard,” he said. “He’s like a sponge, he is always open to advice and he’s always looking to learn and improve.
“His talent isn’t in question but he’s also level headed and so well grounded. He knows what he wants and in my opinion the sky’s the limit for Patrick.
“Listen, football isn’t easy and things don’t always go your way, but I honestly think if he knuckles down, which he will, he can make a very good career for himself.”
As Kelly adapts to his new life in East London, it will seem like a million miles away from car sharing with the likes of Kane, James McLaughlin and Ian Parkhill back in Coleraine.
“It was probably an eye-opener to him to be fair,” laughed Kane. “You hear a lot of random stories when footballers are car sharing and I’d say Patrick grew up a lot in that car.
“Sometimes the places you learn the most in football are in the changing room or car sharing with teammates and those are the things that can set you up in football.
“He's a great kid and hopefully we looked after him and we were able to help him as much as we could in those early stages of his career.”
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