Tranmere boss Mellon praises Liverpool FC loan star Glatzel

The 20-year-old striker, on loan at Prenton Park from Premier League Liverpool, has forced his way into the first team and has scored four goals in his last three starts in all competitions.

And Rovers boss Mellon says that a willingness to be coached and absorb information has helped the youngster - who has a prolific goalscoring record at youth level - learn how best to play to his strengths.

Speaking in his weekly pre-match press conference today, ahead of the weekend visit of Stevenage, he said: "When Paul came over from Liverpool we spoke to them about what his qualities were and what they believed he would need to work on here in order to improve as a player.

"With that intel and all the examination that we have done you put it all together. Then of course the player has to buy in. He's got to agree "yeah I need to get better at that".

Micky Mellon believes Paul Glatzel has made massive strides to adapt to League Two

"So we become salesmen of ideas of a way to play. Some players are better than others at taking on that kind of information.

"Paul Glatzel is sublime at taking on information. He's a very intelligent boy and he speaks about the 'Is' all of the time.

"He says I need to be better at this, I should have done this. He never blames anyone else. He's a great example for anybody."

Regular observers of League Two football will know how physical the game is for strikers, compared to the highly technical environment of Premier League U23s.

And Mellon explained how a bit of tough love has helped Glatzel to develop by playing to his strengths.

He said: "Paul was taking on too much contact. So we said to him, before the ball comes into a busy area, know what you're going to do before the balls comes to you.

"Keep checking your should a be aware of the space around you.

"Eventually he was getting it naturally, because if he was taking too many touches, or he wasn't checking his shoulder, or he wasn't aware of the space around him then he was getting booted.

"And (in training) I wouldn't give fouls. I'd just let him get booted. So how many boots are you going to take before you check your shoulder Paul?

"How many boots are you going to take before you're aware of the space around you my friend? Because that is the most painful way of coaching that you can probably get. Nobody likes getting booted.

Paul Glatzel has a prolific scoring record at U18 level

"So he took so many boots and then he decided I don't like getting kicked and started to check his shoulder and being aware of the space around me, because my calves are black and blue and these players are loving how I'm getting a good kicking here.

"And then he was getting booted less and less and low an behold the penny dropped and over the last month, with the performances that he has had, he takes on no contact, you can't get near him.

’He knows what he's going to do before the ball comes to him and he tries to take his first touch towards goal at every opportunity that he can.

"He plays a lot quicker. He has a plan before the ball comes to him and he has upped his game unbelievably well and now he's added goals to it.

"The challenge is, can he keep doing it and finding the consistency to grow up the leagues with us or go back to Liverpool and become a success there by learning from the qualities he has gained playing at our level."

Glatzel's stock has raised significantly in the past month after he started hitting the goal trail, scoring the winner against Bradford City on Tuesday evening at the Bebington Kop end in front of delighted supporters.

The player himself admits it has been frustrating biding his time to get into Mellon's starting XI but is now fully intent on holding down his place.

Speaking to reporters today, including the Globe, he said: "The last few weeks I've enjoyed my football a lot more. I've played more games, scored a few goals.

"I would have liked to have been playing earlier (in the season) but I needed to get used to the level and the physicality. It's different to U23s football.

"I feel like I've adapted my game, obviously I've still got a lot to learn but I'm just happy to be playing games and trying to contribute as much as I can to the team and results.

"As a footballer you want to be playing games, so when you're not you need to be mentally strong and ensure that in every training session you go out there and do your best and work hard and try and show why you should be in the team.

"It was something I had to get over and it's important for me to be playing games, but I'm getting my head down and hopefully I can play some more games now."

Mellon confessed that his squad has one or two injury niggles ahead of their next league match at home to Stevenage on Saturday but will make late calls on whether any players will need to be excluded from the match day squad.