Moriah-Welsh’s attitude will see him right feels Cooper
AFC Bournemouth
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AFC Bournemouth development squad coach Shaun Cooper believes that Nathan-Moriah Welsh will reap the rewards of his attitude.
AFC Bournemouth development squad coach Shaun Cooper believes that Nathan-Moriah Welsh will reap the rewards of his attitude.
The midfielder is now entering his fifth year with the Cherries, having joined in the summer of 2018.
Since the Guyanese player’s switch to the south coast, first-team training involvement, an international debut and making the squad for an FA Cup quarter-final has followed.
In that time Moriah-Welsh has also shown Cooper that he has the ability and attitude to progress.
He told afcb.co.uk: “He spent most of last year training with the first team on merit because he’s a good player.
“This year, he’s found himself back with us for a couple of weeks through no fault of his own.
“It would have been easy for him to come down and take it easy, but his intensity, sharpness and footballing ability has been clear to see.
“You can see the world of good that it has done him having that extended period with the first team because he’s looked very good.
“His attitude has been very good; he needs to carry on with that and set himself up for this season.”
Cooper’s praise followed his side’s 3-2 friendly defeat to Fulham at Canford Park Arena, where the Cottagers twice came from behind to claim victory.
A strong opening half-an-hour from the Cherries saw the side rewarded with the lead as Moriah-Welsh was both fouled in the box and scored the resulting penalty.
The goal for the midfielder was one element of a performance which impressed the development squad coach.
“We had a mini game plan and I thought the players carried it out well in the first half,” Cooper said.
“I thought Nathan Moriah-Welsh’s tenacity and his work rate really set the tempo for everyone else.
“There were good individual performances out there today but when he plays like that, I love watching him.”
The remainder of the first half saw Terry Ablade equalise for Fulham before young centre-back Max Kinsey-Wellings emphatically restored the lead.
Having stayed high up the pitch following a set-piece, the defender picked up the ball around 25 yards out and stroked a curling left-footed strike beyond Alex Borto.
Despite leading the category one academy side going into the break, a second-half brace from substitute Jean-Pierre Tiehi meant that the roles were reversed come full-time.
On the performance, Cooper said: “I thought we were excellent in the first half and I thought we were disappointing in the second half in possession, but understandably so.
“There were a few square pegs in round holes because we didn’t have a centre-half on the pitch.
“It was a game of two halves but that said, we had some good chances so we could have scored more than the two that we did.
“The players are obviously disappointed we lost the game, but I think the performance looked good and their attitudes were good – so there’s lots to be pleased about.”
AFC Bournemouth: Dennis, Genesini, Trialist A (Daws, 55), Kinsey-Wellings (Okoh, 60), Boutin, Trialist B, Wadham, Moriah-Welsh, Sadi (Burgess, 60), Saydee, Scrimshaw (Brown, 74).