Aaron Cresswell wants to establish himself at left back fro Tranmere Rovers

Sep 9 2010 Liverpool Daily Post

AARON Cresswell says he is up for the challenge, thrown down by manager Les Parry, to establish himself as the first choice left back at Tranmere and build a platform to progress higher in the game.

The 20-year-old product of the Rovers youth development setup has been keeping Zoumana Bakayogo out of the side since the start of the season on the strength of a string of consistent performances.

Cresswell added a valuable bonus with a late equaliser, from a perfectly flighted freekick, in the 2-2 draw at Dagenham and Redbridge. A few days later he even pulled on the captain’s armband for the final stages of a Johnstones Paints Trophy tie against Accrington – because with just over 30 games under his belt, Cresswell was among the most experienced players left on the field that night.

Cresswell said: “When you are a young lad you just have to make the most of your chance when it comes. I spoke to the manager in the summer and he urged me to fight for my place and that’s what I’m doing.

“You have to keep plugging away, keep showing the gaffer you are worth your place in the team.”

Parry believes a regular place in the Rovers side may be merely a starting point if Cresswell’s talent continues to develop.

He said: “I believe there will be people knocking on my door for Aaron if he carries on playing the way he is. Big clubs will be looking at him because good left backs are few and far between.”

Having worked hard to persuade Bakayogo to re-sign for Tranmere this summer, Parry is content to keep the Frenchman on the bench as long as Cresswell impresses.

The manager explained: “I don’t mind if Aaron keeps Zoum out for the rest of the season. That’s nothing against Zoum. It would just mean Aaron is doing so well that he is keeping an excellent player out of our side.”

If Cresswell’s prospects are looking brighter by the day, he endured long months of frustration on the substitutes bench last season after losing his spot to Bakayogo in October. Bakayogo became a selection option for Rovers just as Parry was taking over the management reins from John Barnes 11 months ago.

Parry explained: “I brought Cressa in for an afternoon just before the start of pre-season training in June. We had a chat and I was trying to convince him what a good player I thought he was.

“He would be the first to agree that last season he started half decently but then his form began to dip. John Barnes was looking to give him a rest but he did not have anyone else to play left back.

“We signed Zoum but by the time he was eligible to play, John Barnes had left and I took over as manager. Zoum kept his place in the side because he played well. Aaron recognised that.”

Now the boot is on the other foot and Bakayogo has to sit on the substitutes bench. Cresswell, with eight straight first-team appearances under his belt this season, finds himself offering advice to a clutch of even younger players pushing their way into the side in the midst of an injury pileup at Prenton Park.

Cresswell says: “There are a lot of young players doing well at this club and they all have a chance. The motto has always been the same here: if you are a young player and do well, then the manager may well say you deserve to stay in the side.

“Look at the young players who came through here, the likes of Jason Koumas, Iain Hume and Ryan Taylor. They were all given a chance and took it.”