Robbie Brady is still waiting to make his Bournemouth debut, but manager Scott Parker has claimed the Irish star has already made a big impact at the club.
The Ireland winger signed for the Cherries last month, and has been working his way back to full fitness in recent weeks as he gears up to make his debut.
And despite not yet getting any minutes on the pitch, the Dubliner has clearly made an impression on the training ground.
Brady's last competitive first team appearance came with Burnley in March, three months before leaving the Premier League club.
Injury problems have meant that the 29-year-old has struggled to find a club before Parker brought the Boys in Green ace into the fold at the promotion-chasing Championship side.
And explaining Brady's absence over the weekend, Parker claimed that Brady's energy and experience has added to the side.
“I didn’t want to risk him [Brady] on Sunday, I just couldn’t afford to do that really. Hence why he wasn’t here,” Parker told the Bournemouth Echo, explaining Brady's absence from their defeat at Derby County over the weekend.
“Robbie is doing very well. He is pushing on. He has obviously come in with not a lot of work due to circumstances at the end of the season.
“We need to tread carefully with Robbie, we don’t want to take any big risks with him.
“He has brought a real energy and experience. He has fitted into the group very well, just like he has been one of us for a long time.”
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