Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Daz predicts bright future for Brett
FORMER England star Darren Anderton believes Brett Pitman could star at Championship level if he continues his steep improvement.[LNB] Precocious talent Pitman notched his half-century in senior football by bagging a second-half brace in the win over Barnet.[LNB] The prolific frontman, who joined Cherries as a 15-year-old, boasts an enviable scoring record, with his 50 goals, 47 of which have been in league action, coming in just 99 starts.[LNB] Mercurial Channel Islander Pitman has underlined his rich potential by producing a series of fine displays to fire Cherries within sight of League Two promotion this season.[LNB] Anderton, the ex-Cherries skipper who graced Dean Court before hanging up his boots in December 2008, knows only too well the attributes his old team-mate possesses.[LNB] And the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, who praised the work of Eddie Howe in the incredible season Cherries are enjoying, thinks Pitman could eventually showcase his skills on a higher stage.[LNB] He told the Echo: He was always going to be a goalscorer.[LNB] Everyone forgot just how young he was when he broke through. Everyone probably expected too much, too soon.[LNB] But he is maturing now and we are seeing the best of him.[LNB] Anderton, who admitted he had missed playing since retiring after scoring the winner for Cherries against Chester City 14 months ago, added: Brett has the potential to play at a much higher level.[LNB] If he keeps improving, he can go as high as he wants.[LNB] If he continues, I'm sure it won't be too long, unfortunately for Bournemouth, before someone gives him a chance to move up the ladder.[LNB] I think he could definitely move up to the Championship no problem at all.[LNB] It would be very tough but goalscorers are what they are, and there are not that many around.[LNB] Pitman was heavily linked with a move away from Dorset during the January transfer window, with the likes of Peterborough United, Bristol Rovers and Blackpool reportedly interested.[LNB] And that would have come as little surprise to Cherries head of youth Joe Roach, who revealed that the 22-year-old had always been a natural talent.[LNB] He said: I think he scored 30 or 40 goals in his first two seasons and, in my time here, we have not had anyone come anywhere near that ratio of goals.[LNB] He's got a knack of finishing from all different positions in all different ways.[LNB] I could be clever and say we had to do this and that with him but all we needed to do was get his athleticism up. In terms of working with him as a striker, there was very little we needed to do because he was such a natural.[LNB] Pitman has now netted more than 120 goals for Cherries at youth, reserve and first-team level. He stands at 14th in the club's list of all-time scorers. The Jerseyman requires just four league goals to enter the top 10 of post-war goal-getters, a list headed by legendary pair Ted MacDougall and Steve Fletcher.[LNB]
