FOOTBALL: COVENTRY City manager Mark Robins has said promising young striker Jordan Ponticelli ‘still has a long way to go’ when quizzed about his first team credentials.
The 19-year-old, who made his first team debut against Blackburn Rovers in the Caraboa Cup earlier this season, has featured on the bench a number of times for the Sky Blues this season – including Tuesday’s away win at Swindon.
Though Robins said Ponticelli is showing the right signs, he admitted the talented teenager still has a long way to go.
Robins said: “Jordan is someone we have to work with.
“There’s still a long way to go for him but he’s showing the right signs.”
The Gordon Strachen football foundation product helped the Under 23s team to a 2-1 win against Ipswich having featured during the first half – during which he scored.
His latest strike came days after signing a four-year deal with the Sky Blues, which will see him remain at the club until 2021.
Robins said: “They’ll be times he will be in and out (of the first team) because I’ve got more senior players.
“He played half a game on Monday and scored a goal. He’s in and around the first team at the moment and deserves to be so.
“I expect him to kick on over the next 12 months.
“He’s still young. He’s only 19.
“Jordan has a good future ahead of him if he works hard and he’s been doing that since pre-season.”
Picture: Coventry City Football Club.