Zoko is a former Ivory Coast Under-23 international

Carlisle United player-coach Graham Kavanagh has praised the impact of trialist striker Francois Zoko.

The 26-year-old has impressed in his two pre-season appearances so far, scoring in the 4-1 win at Kendal.

"He's shown a lot of potential." Kavanagh told BBC Radio Cumbria. "His attitude, hunger and technical ability has been very good.

"Is he the man to get us 20 goals a season? Who knows, but he definitely has some ability."

Zoko, from the Ivory Coast, is currently with Belgian side KV Oostende after spells with French clubs Nancy and Laval, Belgian top division side Mons and Turkish Super League club Hacettepe.

He began his career as a junior with C.O. Savigny-sur-Orge before joining AS Nancy in 2000.

Each and everyone of them has brought professionalism and quality. Carlisle coach Graham Kavanagh

He has also been capped at Under-20 and Under-23 level by the Ivory Coast and played at the 2003 Fifa World Youth Championships.

Zoko is one of six trialists at Brunton Park, along with former Hibernian midfielder Patrick Cregg, Shamrock Rovers pair Gary Shaw and Craig Walsh, former Watford winger Billy Gibson and former Sheffield Wednesday defender Nick Wood.

"They've come in and bought into our work ethic," said Kavanagh. "Each and everyone of them has brought professionalism and quality."

Wood scored the only goal as a second-half substitute in the 1-0 friendly win at Workington.

Kavanagh said: "He looks like he is an athlete and he adapted well in the time he got in the game.

"He has only trained a couple of days and we haven't seen a great deal of him, but he got his goal and he will be pleased with how it went."

The Cumbrians have released former Shrewsbury midfielder Jake Simpson to pursue other opportunities after what manager Greg Abbott described as an "impressive" 10-day trial period with the club.

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