Barry Ferguson has long been excited about what Findlay Curtis can bring for Rangers - and reckons he's about to explode into life and show it.
The former Ibrox captain had heard all about a talented young winger coming through the academy and all the reports filled him with optimism about a potential star in the making.
Then he took over as interim boss and got to work with the teenager up close. He saw he had all the ability in the world but was even more impressed by the youngster's attitude and self-belief.
Ferguson gave Curtis his first start in a Rangers shirt and more meaningful minutes during the rest of his tenure.
Speaking in the Daily Record, he said: "I’ve been excited about what this young man has to offer for a long, long time. And now I believe he’s set to live up to the potential I’ve always believed he had within him - for both club and country.
"I first heard about this exciting young wide player making his way through the academy a few years back but it was only last year during my time as manager that I really got to know what Findlay was like as a person. And I tell you this, I LOVED his attitude.
"It stood out from the first training session Neil McCann, Billy Dodds, Allan McGregor and myself took.
"We all knew about his ability but it was his positive outlook that made an immediate impression. He’s a lad who wants to learn, is desperate to get better, and eager to work on the aspects of his game that need to be sharpened up.
"These are all the ingredients you need in your make-up if you’re to make it as a top professional.
"He’s hard-working and respectful of the senior figures around him. But he also has that edge in his character I like. He’s got a wee wide side to him that I think you need if you’re going to make it at a huge club like Rangers. If you don’t believe in yourself, why should anyone else?"
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Another thing that has impressed Ferguson about Curtis is his decision to head out on loan to Kilmarnock.
With hindsight, fans feel the 19-year-old could have been kept around and contributed more than the likes of Andreas Skov Olsen.
But Ferguson says the loan was the right decision as Curtis wouldn't have been guaranteed meaningful minutes. And he was delighted to see the kid take what was perhaps the tougher option for the benefit of his development.
He added: "He could easily have stayed at Ibrox beyond the January window, looking to get the odd 10 minutes off the bench. I’ve heard some fans claim he was a better option than Djeidi Gassama and Andreas Skov Olsen down the run-in but it’s easy saying that with the benefit of hindsight
"At that time, it looked like he might not get many minutes and so he opted to head out on loan seeking regular action.
"And again, his move to Killie impressed me because Rugby Park wasn’t an easy place to go at that time. They were sitting second bottom of the table, in real trouble of ending up in a relegation play-off.
"Neil and Billy had taken over the team by then and couldn’t afford to have a work-experience kid there merely trying to learn on the job. They needed players who could chip in and get the team down there out of the hole they were in.
"And that’s exactly what Findlay did. He scored five goals in 14 appearances - including four in the crunch games after the split. It was a crucial contribution that went a long way towards helping wee Terry’s team achieve safety.
"That will have done wonders for his development and he’ll be heading back up the M77 a far more mature player for the experience."
