BY ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport
SCOTTISH starlet Oli McBurnie could be given the chance to fire Swansea to Premier League safety after revealing new manager Paul Clement gave him a private pep talk.
The 20-year-old starred for the Swans’ under-20 side on Tuesday night, bagging a clinical double in the 2-1 triumph over Wolves to send them into the quarter-final of the Checkatrade Trophy.
Boss Clement was in the crowd at the Liberty stadium to watch McBurnie’s man of the match display – just 24 hours after personally urging the towering front-man to stake his place for a first-team berth.
McBurnie, a regular for Scotland at under-21 level, has already made four appearances for Swansea’s senior side this season, scoring twice, and did his chances of featuring against Arsenal this weekend no harm with his showing against the Championship outfit.
“The gaffer pulled me aside the day before the game to tell me he wanted me to play, that he would be watching and it was a chance to make an impression,” McBurnie told the South Wales Evening Post.
“It was a boost to hear him say that. He went out of his way to pull me into his office tell me it was an opportunity to show him what I am about.
“That is all you want as a young player, a fair crack of the whip to show what you can do and I hope I gave him something to think about in terms of involvement in the first team.
“I’m not getting to carried away, but all I want to do is play in the first-team at this club and anyone who knows me, knows how much I want that. Scoring goals in these bigger games, when the gaffer is watching, is what I want to do and what I can do.”
