Arvin Appiah believes Steve Guppy can roll back the years to help Nottingham Forest’s wingers torment the Championship.
Teenage wide man Appiah hopes to have a bigger role to play at the City Ground next season, after getting his first taste of the action under Aitor Karanka and Martin O’Neill.
The 18-year-old product of the Nigel Doughty Academy praised former winger Guppy for the influence he has already had on the training ground.
Guppy played under Martin O’Neill at Wycombe, Leicester and Celtic, notching up more than 500 appearances with nine different clubs, scoring 50 goals.
The 50-year-old was himself a classy wide man - and Appiah says he has been passing on his knowledge, as part of O’Neill’s coaching staff at Forest.
“We have Steve Guppy, who does a lot of one-v-one work with us,” said Appiah, who has made two starts and five sub appearances for the Reds, after scoring on his debut off the bench, at Burton in the EFL Cup in October.
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“That has helped me so much. We worked on step overs, we work on body movements that can help us to outwit our opponents.
“It is very good to have somebody like him, who has come in to help the wingers.
“I have watched videos of him playing… he looks as though he was decent. And he has helped me a lot now.”
Appiah says Joe Lolley has also been a big help, as he looks to continue his development with the Reds.
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“Joe has been a big influence as well. He is left footed, just like I am and he has told me a lot of ways in which I can hopefully better my game.
“I have liked him being around with me. He has been good for me.”
O’Neill is a manager who has had a fondness for traditional wingers, who like to take on their man, since the days when he and Guppy first joined forces at Wycombe.
And Appiah says that is exactly what O’Neill has told him to do, since he broke into the first team ranks - torment opposition defenders.
“I think the manager has given me a lot more confidence, because he knows I have ability, he knows what I can do, in attacking duels,” said Appiah. “He just wants me to get on the ball, to beat players, to commit players.
“He just wants me to be positive every time I get on the ball.
“Our aim next season is to get promotion, of course. But my personal aim is to show the crowd and the world what I can do. That is probably it. That is what I want to do.
“I feel as though I am at the point where I can contribute. I can’t wait for the new season to start; I just can’t wait, because I am raring to go.”
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