Rotherham United manager Matt Taylor: I hope what Hakeem Odoffin has is contagious

Although in his second season at the New York Stadium the 24-year-old had only made one league start when Taylor arrived in early October.

Now, particularly with Ollie Rathbone missing with a groin problem and two Odoffin goals in three games, it would be a surprise if he did not kick off Saturday's crucial game against Championship relegation rivals Cardiff City.

Taylor puts the way Odoffin has seized his opportunity down to mindset.

“It's exactly what it says on the tin with Haks," he said of a player who has started 13 of his 27 league games in charge. "He's physical, quick to the ball, a good specimen in both boxes and meets the ball.

“Sometimes it's not pretty, but he knows where his game is at and his attitude is what's getting him in the right areas.

“People will speak about his goal (against Preston North End in midweek), rightly so, (but) if anyone watched the game closely the block he made in the second half, where he had to make up serious ground and put his body on the line, was as good as another goal.

“To do that when you are getting beaten, to put your body on the line and going extra yard shows exactly why I like him and like working with him and hopefully that keeps spreading across the group.

“Hopefully his habits and his character are infectious. He's certainly the type of profile we want to keep on working with and keep trying to find ways to improve his game – adding layers to it, which I'm sure he can do.

“For whatever reason he didn't play much to start his Rotherham United career even when we were in League One, so to be finding your feet at Championship level shows how well he's doing."

Cardiff have narrowed the gap between the two sides directly above the relegation zone to a point.

“It's the most important (game) of the season so far, against a team that's in around us in the league and we're on the back of a couple of defeats," reflected Taylor.

“We want to put that right with a good performance and some more points.

“It does feel like a big moment for ourselves.

“We're looking forward to the game and because we're at home we feel more comfortable about where we are.

“The fans don't realise how much we need them, it's incredible and we'll need them to come with the energy that we need to match on the pitch.

“Hopefully it becomes an atmosphere which makes it uncomfortable for the opposition."

Taylor described the chances of Bailey Wright returning from his recent calf injury as “still unlikely”.

“He's had this calf issue before so he will have the final say,” explained the manager.

“It's all well and good putting your boots on and just jogging around, but to play a high-level game of football with the intensity required is different.”