Coach says midfielder has all the right attributes
Christian Toonga struck his first AFC Wimbledon goal in great style yesterday – and coach Alan Reeves has been delighted with the player’s attitude since he returned to match action.
A 5-3 defeat against Southend in the Final Third Development League Cup was just Toonga’s second game since the summer with his international clearance having only come through recently.
Alan Reeves said: “Technically, he is a gifted boy, but working with players like Christian is easy. He takes in all the information that we are passing onto him. It is just about match fitness now and Christian has to keep on learning.
“He has all the basic qualities that you need, including a natural ability to get away from people and how to pick a pass. For a young lad, he is well beyond his years in that respect. It was an excellent goal and no keeper in the world would have saved that one. The goal was a bit of a shining light in a disappointing afternoon for us.”
Speaking after yesterday’s game, Toonga, who signed for the Dons in June after previous spells with Cardiff City, Southampton and Arsenal, said he was relieved to be back playing for AFC Wimbledon.
“It was a long wait for me so I am happy to be back playing,” said the 17-year-old midfielder. “It was my first goal for Wimbledon and I was happy with that, but it was a hard game. We did all right in the first-half, but the first 20 minutes in the second-half was not so good. When we got the first goal everyone worked together, but our heads dropped when they scored again. Things have gone well for me here so far with the coaching and everything else. Now I can get my match fitness up by playing more minutes.”
The picture above of Christian Toonga in match action was taken by Micah Crook.