Dapo Afolayan is the perfect example of why Blackburn Rovers brought Tony Mowbray back to the club.
The January addition has started every Championship game under Mowbray this term, having managed just one in six months prior.
Having joined from St Pauli at the end of the January window, it was hoped Afolayan's previous experience in English football would help Rovers in their relegation fight.
Instead, he managed 158 minutes, a figure he has also surpassed three times this term. On debut, he was hooked at half-time in a 3-1 win at Queens Park Rangers and it became quite clear that Michael O'Neill did not trust him.
Many were left wondering what the point was. For a team that could not score goals, Afolayan was surely worth a try as someone with a tracked record in England, albeit the division below.
Would it have been a huge shock if he'd left in the summer? Probably not. Even in pre-season, he did not sparkle despite other options on that left flank being unavailable.
Left-wing was a position Rovers actively looked at strengthening but Afolayan was able to convince them otherwise.
"I like Dapo but that position is something we looked at," Mowbray admitted.
"We have Kargbo, De Neve, who are all left-sided players that are injured at the moment.
"I am more than happy with Dapo but he has aspects to work on but he is a very intelligent kid. There is always scope to get even more out of him because of his intelligence levels."
Afolayan has been transformed this season. Suddenly, he looks like a real asset, with fans already looking at his expiring contract next summer.
It's an important reminder of how important rhythm is to a footballer, perhaps most in the attacking roles. Afolayan didn't particularly stand out when he was given 20 minutes here and there; perhaps we should've known why.
Now that he is playing regularly and with the confidence of his boss, he looks dynamic, powerful and someone who can contribute goals and assists.
His second goal at the weekend encapsulated all his qualities. Collecting the ball just inside his own half, he drove at the Millwall defence.
The end product came when he approached the area. The quick step over left the defender for dead and the finish was emphatic, driven low on his weaker foot.
"When I got the ball, I thought I could drive forward," Afolayan explained his own words.
"I felt in the game that their centre-backs retreat a lot and the space on the edge of the box is there.
"I've been saying that I can shoot and we need to try more from around those areas, as a team. Todd opened up the space for me and I could move it to make the space.
"It was well struck and I'm very happy with that. It was an important time in the game and that was most important for me."
Afolayan is exactly the profile of player that Mowbray was brought in to coach. Those with talent but who hadn't yet produced, with the hope his warm man-management style could coax more out of them.
It's well documented that Mowbray enjoys working with players and Afolayan is a great example. He is naturally intelligent, switched on and a football fan. Those are all big ticks in the Mowbray box.
"I remember Afolayan playing for Bolton and he was always direct, positive and aggressive," Mowbray detailed.
"He's a really bright, intelligent kid who watches and loves football. He has an opinion on everything.
"He's almost overly intelligent because those people always have an opinion, and you might not always agree. That's what Dapo is.
"I accept it and I like him because of that. When I tell him, he's not working hard enough and he has to react when he loses it, he has an answer and knows what I am talking about.
"I feel that I can connect with him to be the best version of himself because he understands. That's not always the case with footballers, I'd have to say."
Afolayan himself is enjoying working under Mowbray. His front-foot attacking philosophy is always going to resonate with the forwards, who want creative freedom and license to express themselves.
Too often, Rovers were playing not to lose last term. That is not a criticism; they had to stay in the division at all costs. O'Neill did a terrific job achieving that.
But to move the team forward, a more progressive style was needed. Certainly, they had to score more goals than the measly 42 they mustered last term.
"The manager and I are very similar; we view football as a game that you try to win," Afolayan says.
"To win games, you have to score goals, be attacking and be creative. As an attacker, every week is a different puzzle to solve.
"You have to find the spaces, work out what the opposition bring and create chances.
"Goal are scored in all different ways and it's about working out how to do that. As a team, we are really working on that.
"We have a lot of creativity on the pitch, positive players and that helps. It's vital for the team and we need to graft as a team but also create and score goals."
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