Wabara can be a big star

EYE ON THE BALL: Loan right-back Reece Wabara - plenty of ability.

REECE Wabara can use his time at Athletic as a springboard to greater successes, according to the coach who knows him better than anyone in the game.

Once a winger, Athletic's loan defender has taken switches to centre-back and now right full-back in his stride. And he stayed as level-headed as ever when thrown into the mix at Boundary Park against Notts County on Saturday.

Wabara (20) arrived at the ground for the first time 90 minutes before kick-off and took to the field not even knowing the names of many of his new team-mates. Despite this he made an impressive debut: one move could have brought Athletic a penalty and it was his late cross which led to Jose Baxter's disallowed late header.

Having impressed again in the 1-1 home draw with Scunthorpe on Tuesday, Steve Eyre — head of Manchester City's youth team when Wabara entered the Eastlands system as a 14 year old — believes the experience of life in npower League One will do his future prospects the world of good.

"It is a real boost for Oldham having Reece," said Eyre, who senior development coach at Huddersfield Town.

"We developed him as a very talented centre-back and to an extent he has taught himself to become a right-back at senior level.”

Eyre added: "The philosophy at Manchester City is to play on good surfaces and to bring through players who like having the ball. The advantage Reece has is that if mistakes do arise, his pace is such he can react to rectify them straight away."

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