Arsenal loanee Brooke Norton-Cuffy is gunning to continue improving, despite a bright start to life in Rotherham United colours.
The 18-year-old wing back has been a regular for Paul Warne since his temporary switch from the Emirates Stadium this summer and has drawn the plaudits for his electric early performances in the wide positions.
With the Millers sharing the home kit colours of his parent club and their home occasionally affectioned labelled as a ‘mini’ version of the Gunners’ stadium, the settling in process might have been made a tad easier for the England youth starlet, who insists that he still has more to offer now that he has his feet under the table in South Yorkshire.
"I think I've done alright but I know I've got a lot more to give,” Norton-Cuffy told www.themillers.co.uk.
"I've come to the club and I've been starting games which is what I want to do, but I won't get complacent. You have to keep working for your spot and trying to impact the games as much as you can to ensure that you keep your shirt."
"I'm enjoying it loads so far. The style of football and the way we play and how and when I get on the ball is something that I'm working closely with the coaches on.
"I've come in and there are things for me to improve on but we're working on that every day in training.
"The boys have been great in welcoming me and so have the coaching staff. The transition of coming from Arsenal has been really smooth and I think I have settled in quite well.”
Even as a teenager, the physical outputs required by Warne and his coaching staff are not easy to hit and with Norton-Cuffy operating in arguably one of the most demanding positions on the pitch, he admits that acclimatising to the Rotherham United way of playing has taken a little bit of time.
"The first game or two I found myself blowing at times,” he admitted.
“The work we get through means that you can feel yourself breathing a bit but it's about getting up to speed and being able to cope with it.
"We work very hard in training to be able to do that so that when it comes to games you are fit enough to handle the demands.”
Understandably, at 18, like any young player Norton-Cuffy has room to improve – which is some testament considering the ability that he has already shown in his fledgling professional career.
Having developed a fantastic relationship with Arsenal through last season’s care of Jordi Osei-Tutu in a similar loan deal, Warne and his coaches are once again keen to ensure that the latest ‘project’ leaves a better player than when he arrived, something that has not been lost on the promising youngster.
"We're working on my individual game and the team's game and I've been really enjoying learning,” Norton-Cuffy continued.
"I've liked the challenge of playing against players that people consider to be very good Championship players and maybe even some Premier League level players. It is always a challenge to come up against them but you have to do that if you want to improve.
"There are a few things that myself and the manager agree that I can get better at and I know that I need to do that to take my game to the next level. Beyond that, there are things that I can do as an individual which benefit the team. Nearly every single day after training, I'm working with one of the coaches to try and get better in those areas."
"There aren't many players in the England youth age groups that are playing at Championship level regularly or are out on loan. I think most people at my age are just getting into the routine of going out on loan, so hopefully I'm a bit ahead of the curve in experience in that department. To come out, learn and play men's football is only going to help me as a player."