Cook must improve, says Kinder

Cook scored five times on-loan at Workington last season

Carlisle United youth team coach Eric Kinder believes teenage striker Andy Cook still has work to do before he can become a first-team squad regular.

Cook, 18, scored 37 times for the club's youth and second-string sides last season and hit five in Monday's 8-0 friendly win at Gala Fairydean.

"We know all about his goalscoring." Kinder told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"But he now has to work on other aspects of his game which are perhaps not quite as strong at the moment."

Kinder believes the Durham-born forward will need to show consistency at reserve level before he can be considered for a first-team squad place this season.

If we can sharpen up the other side of his game, get his feet a little bit quicker and get him a little bit stronger then we may have a player on our hands.

Carlisle youth coach Eric Kinder

"Unbelievably, he's a nervous boy and he hasn't quite done it for the reserves because he just wasn't sure whether he deserved to be there," added Kinder.

"When he's in an environment he's comfortable in you get to see the real player and that's what we've got to keep working on."

Cook will be hoping to follow 18-year-old Gary Madine's progress from the youth ranks at Brunton Park to first-team this season.

The 6ft 4in striker, who was also a prolific scorer at reserve and youth level, was rejected by Middlesbrough after an unsuccessful trial with the Teessiders before joining Carlisle.

Madine made his first-team debut for the Cumbrians towards the end of the 2007/08 season and is expected to play a part in manager Greg Abbott's plans this season.

"They've both still go a lot to do," stated Kinder. "Gary didn't have the best of seasons last year and he's come back determined to get into the first team."

"I've always said Cooky is a better finisher than Gary yet Gary is a better footballer than Cooky. Andy has still got a lot of work to do in his all-round game in that respect.

"If we can sharpen up the other side of what he does, get his feet a little bit quicker and get him a little bit stronger then we may have a player on our hands."

Cook spent a successful loan spell at Blue Square North side Workington Reds last season, scoring five times in nine starts for the Borough Park club.