Dario Zanatta has been urged to take the Kevin Nisbet road to redemption.
Raith Rovers boss John McGlynn has been delighted with the progress of Zanatta following his arrival in the close-season, insisting the former Hearts winger is getting sharper and more potent with each training session.
McGlynn has been an admirer of the Canada youth international since a breakout 2018/19 campaign with Alloa, which saw him notch eight goals in 39 appearances from a wide area.
That proved something of a false dawn, with underwhelming stints at Partick Thistle and Ayr United following.
But McGlynn reckons Nisbet — who bounced back from rejection at Firhill to score 34 goals for Rovers before moving on to star for Dunfermline, Hibs and, ultimately, Scotland — should serve as inspiration to any youngster.
“There’s real job satisfaction to bringing the best out of someone who hasn’t done as well as they could have elsewhere, with Kevin Nisbet probably the most obvious example of that,” said the Rovers boss.
“That’s an apt example, with Kevin playing three games at the Euros recently.
“Players can get another lease of life; another chance to show people what they can do — if they have the desire and hunger.
“That’s all we are asking for from Dario — to get that hunger back to get on the pitch, make things happen and prove people wrong. We’ll give him every chance of doing that.”
Indeed, there is little doubt he will be afforded the chance to shine by McGlynn, given the high esteem in which his new boss clearly holds him.
“It may take a little bit of time but I am very confident that he will cause defenders all sorts of problems,” McGlynn added “He can play off the left but, with him being right-footed, can cut inside and create that space for the left-back to overlap.
“He’ll link up well with guys like Lewis Vaughan and James Keatings, can play one-twos and play people in. Dario gives you all that and is deceptively quick with a good eye for killer passes.”
McGlynn also believes he has a ready-made partnership down the left-flank.
Zanatta and Liam Dick had a fantastic rapport during that season with the Wasps and will be reunited in Kirkcaldy this term.
“I was conscious that Liam played for Alloa along with Dario and they both played down the left side,” added McGlynn. “We really hope that’s a partnership that can flourish and help Dario, as well, get back to the way he was playing at Alloa.
“I feel like that connection down the left could really take off.”
