Kilmarnock manager Lee McCulloch insists Newcastle goalkeeper Freddie Woodman has the “best attitude” he has ever seen.
Woodman spent the second half of the 2016-17 campaign on loan at the Scottish Premiership club, where he played a key role under McCulloch, keeping four clean sheets from 15 appearances.
He also played a starring role for the England Under-20 side as they lifted the World Cup title earlier this month, saving a second-half penalty as England held on to beat Venezuela in the Final.
His recent exploits have caught the eye of a number of potential suitors ahead of next season, with the 20-year-old facing competition for a first-team spot at Newcastle from no fewer than four other goalkeepers.
But Woodman’s latest chief, Kilmarnock’s McCulloch, believes he deserves all the credit and praise he is getting, and delivered a glowing verdict of the young stopper’s attitude.
He told the Daily Record: “Freddie has done incredibly well. A World Cup winner is something that is just sensational for him.
“But he deserves all of the success he’s getting because he has the best attitude I have ever seen in football – seriously. Some of the things would take you by surprise.
“For example, Freddie pays out of his pocket for someone to train him in his strength and conditioning work. There is not a harder worker than him. He is the ultimate professional.”
Woodman was brought to Kilmarnock on loan by then-manager Lee Clark, but McCulloch has been an important figure at the club since his arrival as a player-coach in 2015.
He made only a few appearances as a player, and served a short stint as caretaker manager at the club between January and February 2016, before being handed the role on a permanent basis in February of this year.
Newcastle youngster Woodman, meanwhile, is under contract at St. James’ Park until the summer of 2020, and it remains to be seen if he will earn himself a role in the first-team squad ahead of next season.
He has proven he has the quality to become a key part of Rafa Benitez’s plans, but the Spaniard already has Karl Darlow, Rob Elliot, Matz Sels and Tim Krul at his disposal.
Woodman has yet to feature for the senior side, but has been a regular performer in the Under 23 setup, keeping six clean sheets from 29 matches.