EDDIE Howe is pleased with Danny Ings’ progress on his return from injury.
But he is concious not to heap expectation on the player.
The 19-year-old has yet to kick a ball in anger for the Clarets after his summer move from Bournemouth, suffering a serious knee injury in shooting practice after only his second training session.
But after scoring in a half-hour cameo for the reserves in the 2-1 win against Preston at Chorley last Wednesday, he stepped things up in a 2-0 behind-closed-doors defeat against Wolves on Tuesday.
The next step is to come through 75 minutes, and a fully-fit Ings would be a welcome boost at a time when Howe has seen Sam Vokes return to Wolves, while Martin Paterson and Junior Stanislas are out with hamstring problems.
Howe said: “Danny did well again against Wolves and is making really good progress.
“He played 45 minutes, and the next step is to try and do 75/80, and we’ll try and arrange a game next week.
“With every appearance he’s looking sharper, he’;s training regularly now and that will help.
“He will get better and better, but we don’t want to put too much pressure on him, he’s a young lad, but he’s getting back to his best.”
Loan man Josh McQuoid believes Burnley fans have much to look forward to with the imminent return of Ings.
McQuoid, who moved on a 93-day loan from Millwall on Friday, is another useful addition, and he feels Ings will prosper at Championship level: “Danny’s got huge potential.
“He’s already done a lot for his age in League One but I think when he comes back he’ll do well in the Championship.
“He’s a good player.”
Ings, like McQuoid, Bristol City’s Brett Pitman and Wales international Vokes, have all come from the conveyor belt of attacking talent at Bournemouth.
Howe helped nurture those players while at Dean Court as youth team coach and first team boss, and McQuoid said: “There was a good youth set-up down at Bournemouth. Eddie did a lot for me and helped Brett Pitman out a lot, Ingsy, it’s a good set-up down there.
“I haven’t had many managers in my time, but out of the managers I have had, Eddie is good at working with everybody, both young and experienced players.
“He helps you every day in training, he stays out after and if he thinks there’s something you can work on he’ll help you with that.
”He brings the best out of the young lads especially.”
Paterson and Stanislas are still out with hamstring injuries, with Paterson expected to be out for another couple of weeks, and Stanislas until the end of February, and Howe added: “Pato is improving, he’s less serious than Junior, but we still think they will bve out for the initial period we were told.”
Brian Jensen is up and running after playing in the reserves at Chorley last week, as well as in the game against Wolves, having been out since the loss at Peterborough in September.
Howe said: “Brian’s doing well, and it is great to have his experience available in the run-in.”
Another player to feature in the game against Wolves was Derry City left back Danny Lafferty, but I understand a decision has yet to be made on his future.