Top scorer Liam Cullen reaping rewards of hard work

Swansea City Under-23s coach Cameron Toshack is pleased to see top scorer Liam Cullen reaping the rewards for his hard work on the training field following his impressive start to the season.

Cullen is the development’s side leading marksman this term, with seven goals from 13 appearances in all competitions.

These include braces in the thumping 5-1 victory over Porto B and 4-2 defeat by West Ham, as well as a terrific late equaliser in the Premier League International Cup draw with PSV Eindhoven II.

The 20-year-old also topped the charts for the under-23s last season after finding the net on 10 occasions in Premier League 2 Division One – with only Brighton’s Aaron Connolly bettering that tally in the top flight of development football.

Although, he had to wait until November for his maiden strike of the campaign.

Cullen, who has been with the Swans since he was eight years old, is well on the way to surpassing that total this year.

Generally deployed as the lone striker in the development side’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, the Tenby-born front man often has to work unselfishly by running the channels and bringing his team-mates into play.

Toshack also revealed that his centre forward will regularly spend extra hours on the training field at Fairwood sharpening up specific aspects of his game ready for matchday.

And the under-23s coach is thrilled that Cullen is seeing the benefits of his hard work come to fruition.

“As a centre forward, Liam’s main objective will be to score goals,” Toshack said.

“Most forwards are selfish like that and I don’t mind that; if they think the most important thing for them is to get on the scoresheet then long may that continue.

“Liam works very hard in training – on his finishing and free-kicks. He works hard with the coaches after training on his individual development plan, which mainly consists of a variety of finishing.

“As our lone striker, he has to work unselfishly for the good of the team, so it’s about taking any opportunities that fall his way.

“It’s good to see that he’s doing that at the moment.”