Tuesday night hero Reuben Noble-Lazarus 'plays within himself' and needs to show more courage and heart if he is to fulfill his potential, says manager Danny Wilson.
The 20-year-old, who became the youngest ever Football League player in 2008, curled a fine effort into the top corner at Reading eight minutes after coming on up front at half-time on Tuesday.
Wilson said: "Reuben plays within himself. He's got a lot of talent but he needs more belief, energy, determination and desire. That's what gets you a living out of the game. He's got everything you need to be a top, top player but he doesn't put it together enough. I'd like him to be a bit more nasty on the pitch and show a bit more courage and heart.
"He did what we asked him on Tuesday and capped it with a fantastic goal."
Tuesday's goal added to Noble-Lazarus' long-ranger against Millwall in Mark Robins' final game in 2011 and his bicycle kick at Leicester under Keith Hill in 2012. The Huddersfield lad – who has now made 43 appearances for Barnsley but has not been given regular action – is hoping to add some simple goals to his three spectacular career strikes if he gets a run in the team as striker until the end of the season.
He said: "I haven't got any tap-ins but hopefully I will do in the future. Any goal is a goal and if I can get a run of games hopefully I will keep scoring. I don't mind how they come. I have been biding my time and keeping fit and sharp. You have got to be ready. There are times when you doubt yourself a little bit.
"But I just kept ticking over playing games for the under 21s. Hopefully I made a good impression the other night and now I can make an impact. I need to take my chance."
Noble-Lazarus was national news when he broke the age record as a schoolboy but denies that it put pressure on him. He said: "I don't feel that. I don't regret anything. Things happened the way they did and I can't change that. Fifteen is very young but I'm still young now. I have got a lot of developing to do yet ."
The left-footer used to play as a striker but moved onto the left of midfield before David Flitcroft tried to convert him into a left wing-back and even played him as a left-back. While Bobby Hassell has written in his Chronicle column this week that Reuben 'hated' playing at left-back, the youngster claims the experience helped him.
"I have played in a lot of different positions but I think that has only helped me and helped the team. I don't mind where I play anymore, I just want to play."
