Richie Wellens on his tactical advice to Doncaster Rovers striker Tiago Cukur

DONCASTER ROVERS manager Richie Wellens has delivered a message of support to loan striker Tiago Cukur following his quiet start to life at the club - and offered a piece of tactical advice.

The Watford forward has struggled to make an impact thus far, although Wellens insists that much of that is down to the fact that the teenager has been down on fitness after contracting Covid-19 earlier in the summer - and will get better in that regard.

The Rovers chief is also urging him to stay more central in his quest to provide himself with the confidence rush of his first goal for the club.

Wellens, whose side visit Accrington on Tuesday evening, said: “His baseline fitness when he first arrived was probably as low as it has ever been in his career.

“Because he had 30 days and it was a long, long isolation and he has suffered from that.

“At the minute, he is getting to 55 or 60 minutes and he’s blowing up. I’d imagine a lot of that is mental energy as well because it (Saturday) was a big game for an 18-year-old playing in front of 25,000. It can have an impact mentally and drain you.

“He is aware we need more from and he needs to up his game a little bit more. But he also needs more help around him and we need more forward runners and our wingers not to be so far away at times. We need them to be closer.

“We are building block by block and he needs to stay in the box more and occupy the two centre-backs more. From throw-ins, we need him to stay in the box and he keeps coming out. When we do switch it and are looking to get crosses in, Tiago is still on the opposite side as he has showed for the throw-in.

“We are working every day and Tiago is a young player who you expect to improve pretty quickly as the games go by.”

On the importance of constructive advice to Cukur and all young players, Wellens continued: “I wish I’d someone as a young player at 18, 19, 21 or 22, setting demands on me and making them aware of what is required of being a professional footballer at this level with a goal to kick on.

“As a young lad, I was not the best (young) professional and never had anyone driving me on. All the young players I have worked with in the past have gone back to their clubs and got in the first team or got moves from them. It is all constructive.”