Liam Hughes may claim he's not the brightest, but throughout our ten-minute chat the second-year scholar spoke candidly, honestly and at length about the season ahead, which will be his most important yet.
After an inconsistent beginning to his scholarship, hard work and the constant tutelage of Jez George and youth team coach Nolan Keeley saw Hughes' stock rise in the New Year.
"I could've done much better," he admits "It annoys me now, because I know I've got the potential to do it."
One of the key issues was finding his best position. At six feet four inches, Hughes began as a centre-half, but was signed last summer as a centre-midfielder.
The early season form of Luke Berry and Sam Ives saw Liam restricted to substitute appearances, but his attitude to breaking into the side was certainly determined: "I look at people in my position - if they've got a weakness that becomes my strength. It's competition."
But his chance eventually came in another part of the pitch. Continuing his journey towards the opposing penalty area, and, using his height to his advantage, he came into the XI as a forward. "I'm quite powerful - if I get in the final third, I've got the confidence to take a shot. And being six foot four, it's easy to flick balls on."
Three goals in the Spring demonstrated his versatility, but despite finishing the campaign strongly the Soccer AM 'Skill Skool' winner still affirms his preferred role is in the midfield: "I like it because I get a lot of the ball, but wherever I get put I try my hardest."
And with Ives impressing for the first-team in pre-season, Liam's opportunity to partner fellow second-year Berry in the Ridgeons League may arrive imminently.
The pair forged a profitable partnership on the summer tour to France, as the scholars marched to victory in the Dourges Tournament. After scoring in the early stages and playing a pivotal part in the victories over Anderlecht and Dinamo Bucharest, Liam was also on target in the final against Dynamo Kiev.
Looking back, he sees the competition as a watershed - the time when his thoughts and his game developed. "The tour to France was a turning point in my thinking. I've sorted my head out now and I think of things in different ways. And I've just been made head of one of the houses (the digs on Milton Road, where the scholars live) so I feel as if I've got a bit of trust."
He attributes this confidence, on and off the pitch, to the coaching team: "Jez and Nolan have changed me - they know what they're talking about. I'd say they have twice as much knowledge as the people at Scunthorpe (Liam's former club)."
He continued: "I've learned more in one year here than I did in four years at Scunthorpe. I've learnt so much about life and matured so much."
Henry Milward
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