'Great future': Portsmouth's newest scoring sensation catching the eye away from Fratton Park
The Academy 18-year-old has scored three times in six appearances since playing in the Isthmian South Central Division
Pompey's new scoring sensation is destined for a ‘great future in the game’.
That’s the verdict of Moneyfields boss Callum Glen, who has been delighted with Tayo Singerr’s performances during an eye-catching loan to date.
Singerr announced his arrival into Pompey’s first-team in August when, as a substitute, he netted a debut goal at the age of 17 and 10 months in the Carabao Cup defeat to Reading.
The second-year scholar subsequently headed for a month-long loan to Isthmian South Central Division club Moneyfields, which was extended last month, with the striker so far netting three times in six appearances, all of them starts.
He again impressed in Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Horndean, with fellow Pompey loanee Ciaran Martin supplying the eighth-minute winner with a precise left-wing cross which was headed home by Simba Mlambo.
And first-team manager Glen continues to be impressed by the contributions of the 18-year-old Singerr, who he is cherishing while he can.
‘There’s a push from Portsmouth, who want to push him higher’
He told The News: ‘Tayo has done really well, although has surprised me actually. When he joined, I saw him in terms of physique and thought he might be a bit lightweight, but he’s really strong and good on the ground, especially when the ball goes down the side of him.
‘To be honest, there’s a push from Pompey who want to push him higher, rightly so and we know that. If he continues playing like he has, he will go higher.
‘On Saturday you can see there are still bits of game which need sharpening up if he wants to play at the level he does, but he’s a young lad, he’s 18, still growing physically and mentally. He’s in a good environment with us and we push him, he understands what we want from him.
‘His attitude is brilliant, he wants to be here, he wants to work hard, he understands that. To be where we want to be, he’s going to have to play well here - and he is. To be playing at his age in this league against the physical attributes of centre-halves he comes up against is fantastic.
‘Tayo is one of the boys as well, which counts. When you get people from professional clubs, you sometimes worry they dip their toe in: “I’m only here for a short period, so I’m not really giving everything I’ve got”. But he’s a good lad.
‘He is doing really well and I expect him to have a great future in the game - unfortunately probably not at Moneyfields!’
Singerr was joined at the John Jenkins Stadium by Academy team-mate Martin earlier this month, having previously spent time there on loan last season, making 31 appearances and scoring twice.
The left-back started the current campaign on loan at Chichester in the Isthmian League Premier Division, but returned to Fratton Park after just three matches.
‘A forward-thinking left-back’
Glen added: ‘At Chichester, unfortunately for Ciaran he was up against Rob Hutchings, their best player and their captain, so it was difficult for him to get minutes. If it was anywhere else in that league, he might have played regularly.
‘Fortunately for us, he was available and has come for six weeks. We hope he’s here for longer as we have lacked a left footer.
‘We play a lot of right footers at left-back, so probably haven't got that ability to cross the ball into the box and have become a bit predictable. He also takes our set-pieces, he’s comfortable and wants to take them.
‘Ciaran is a forward-thinking left-back, he’s a great defender, though. I have never seen him get done too much. He can get into pockets, he can play wide, he can deliver good balls into the box, especially when the ball is moving.’
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