Michael Duff on Barnsley FC youngster who 'will be a captain somewhere along the line'

The former Celtic midfielder joined the Reds on a free transfer in the summer and has quickly become a key figure at Oakwell, making 34 starts in all competitions.

But it is his character as well as his football which has impressed Duff.

"He's an unbelievable kid," he said. "You forget he's 21 years-old.

"I didn't know anything about him. I got introduced to him when we signed him a week in and you could see very quickly he could play.

"He'll definitely be a captain of a football club at some point in his career the way he drives it.

"His ability and his performances are there but the way he drives it and carries himself, the way he puts demands on other people, he'll be a captain somewhere along the line.

"I spoke to Callum Wright at Plymouth, who I had at Cheltenham. They're good mates and grew up together and he said similar things.

"There's things he can improve – he can open up better on one side and things like that – but his level of performance for such a young lad in a pivotal position on the pitch... it's generally experienced players there and that's one thing he isn't.

"It's almost been seamless and he's understood it.

"If there was a player of the year I'd imagine he'd be in the top three or four."

Connell says he does not make a conscious effort to lead, it is just the way he plays.

"I think it's just the natural reaction to talking," he said. "I'm just in front of the defence trying to organise the people in front of me and I think all the people behind me – Bobby (Thomas), Mads (Andersen), Kitch (Liam Kitching) – are telling me where to go.

"I think we've got a good few natural leaders in there."

Liverpool-born Connell is disappointed to be training rather than playing this weekend having been overlooked by Ireland Under-21s, who entertain Iceland in Cork on Sunday.

He should have had the consolation of playing for Barnsley against Ipswich Town on Saturday but that was postponed because of international call-ups, even though the Tractor Boys did not get the three they expected.

"You always want to get called up for the 21s or the first team, it's everyone's aspiration to play international football but there's a lot of other good players,” said Connell, capped three times. “There's always next time.

"To play for the first team for Ireland is a big ambition for me.

"If you ask any player they'd rather have Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday because you're not playing as much and you've got games to look forward to. Ipswich would have been a big game but we'll face them later on in the season.

"It's exciting when it's big games. Every game coming up is a big game so we're looking forward to it but none of the lads in the team are not grounded, no one's big- time. We're a close-knit group we're all similar and we're just all enjoying it and expressing ourselves.”

Barnsley are eat Exeter City on League One on Tuesday.