KEITH Curle has praised the way Benny Couto took on board advice from last season and, over the summer, moulded himself into a first team prospect.
Having assessed the left back towards the end of last season, the Latics head coach felt the teenager was not ready to make the step up.
But Curle was impressed with the transformation in Couto over the summer - enough to include him in the senior fold.
"I go back to last season when I watched Benny and maturity wise and mentally he wasn't in the place that he needed to be," Latics' head coach explained.
"He had a summer to reflect on it and did a lot of work in the summer physically and came back in very good shape.
"The mental attitude that he needed to be progressive at this football club, that shone through and he got the rewards immediately by being invited to come up and train with us. And in a short period of time you're thinking, 'this lad's got a chance'.
"He got selected for the cup game then made his league debut against Rochdale, and you're thinking 'this lad's got a bright future'.
"He has got the attributes we need and his mentality is growing and growing and growing, his maturity level is growing, and the kid has got ability.
"He wants to learn and he wants to listen."
Curle revealed that second year scholar Couto, who last week signed a three-year pro deal, had been working particularly closely with player-coach Alan Sheehan.
"He has been taken under Alan Sheehan's win. He is a left sided player as well and they've spent a lot of time on the training ground," Curle explained.
"The best thing is Benny want to listen, he wants to learn, he wants to develop and that's what has encouraged us most, his willingness to listen and try things."
And Curle believes that if Couto's development continues, a career in the Championship - at least - awaits.
"The lad, we know, is nowhere near the finished article but we have got high hopes that he can certainly go up two divisions," he said.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here