Linfield midfielder Ahmed Salam believes he can now meet the demands of the Danske Bank Premiership.
The 21-year-old arrived at Windsor Park on loan from Hull City in the summer and had to be patient waiting on his chance, but is now showing the form that brought him on to the radar of Blues boss David Healy.
Salam produced another star performance as the League title holders swatted away the challenge of Glenavon in a comfortable 3-0 win at Mourneview Park on Saturday night.
Christy Manzinga hit a glorious double, with Salam also getting in on the scoring act – this third in 17 outings in a blue shirt and his first in the Danske Bank Premiership.
The result inched Healy’s team up into third place in the table, four points off leaders Cliftonville and one point behind rivals Glentoran with a game in hand.
“I’ve worked hard in training, I feel fit, I'm confident and I think it’s beginning to show in my performances,” said Salam, who arrived from Hull in July alongside striker Billy Chadwick who had to return to England last week after sustaining a knee injury.
“I know I need to do everything I can to stay in the team, so I have to keep up the high standards on the training ground and on the pitch.
"I think it would be fair to say that I’ve grown into the side.
“It took me a bit of time to adapt to the Irish League when I came over, which is not surprising. I now feel that done quite well in recent weeks. I know what I need to do and what it takes to play in this team.”
Salam reckons the game was done and dusted when he volleyed home to make it 3-0 on the half hour.
“Our first goal set the tone and we just took off after that,” he said. “It put our opponents on the backfoot and gave us the momentum to go on and win the game.
“We knew at that point more goals would come and we actually could have had more. Christy works hard in training, and he deserves all the plaudits and goals he gets.
“I was delighted to get our third. I think that really sealed the deal.”
Glenavon boss Gary Hamilton admitted his boys were blown away in the first half and it was nothing to do with Storm Arwen.
Manzinga scored his 13th and 14th goals of the season in the 12th and 29th minutes before Salam struck six minutes before the break.
“Linfield’s confidence was sky high and sometimes you have got up hold up your hand and say we were up against a team that was better on us," said Hamilton.
“They are a top side and really showed their class. Their movement and inter-changing between Millar, Stewart and Salam was just too much for us.”
