Wigan Athletic manager Paul Cook has revealed that he thought Chelsea's Reece James was a special player the first time he saw the defender in a training session.
James spent last season on loan at Wigan and impressed many observers with his dominant performances from full-back as he proved his credentials in the Championship.
The 19-year-old right-back joined Wigan to gain experience of playing regular first-team football, but he was initially signed as cover for Nathan Byrne.
However, Cook admits that the first day he saw James in a training session it was clear that Wigan had managed to sign a very special player on loan and he would make a big impact at the DW Stadium.
“In his first training session, we all went, ‘Oh’, and then the second session, he trained the same way”, the Wigan boss told The Athletic.
“We all came in and said, ‘Yesterday wasn’t a fluke, was it?’
“It was apparent from Reece’s training habits and how he played football that he was clearly a very special player.”
James was a big influence on the Wigan team and on the last day of the season, he led the side out at home against Millwall.
He received a massive ovation from the home crowd when he was substituted with a minute left on the clock and Cook admits that he deserved everything he received on his final day at the club.
“The whole experience that Reece had with us and we had with Reece is what managers’ dream of.
“So to captain the team against Millwall was what he deserved for helping give us a very successful first year back in the Championship.”
