Stoke City loanee Tom Cannon has said he cannot wait to get going at his new club.
The 22-year-old striker signed on loan from Leicester City on transfer deadline day and started training this week.
A host of other Championship teams were interested in his services, but it was his connection with assistant head coach Peter Cavanagh that made him leave the Foxes in favour of the Potteries.
“Cav’s [Cavanagh] been texting me the whole summer and when the manager phoned me too I was delighted,” Cannon told BBC Radio Stoke.
“From what Cav was saying there was nothing but good about the club and then speaking to the manager it was the same, and him saying how important I was going to be. To hear that as a player, it gives you real confidence.”
The Republic of Ireland striker was in Everton’s academy for 10 years where Cavanagh was a coach.
Cannon said that relationship was a decisive factor: “I’ve known Cav right through the [Everton] age groups and get on really well with him, so it’s nice to be back with him.”
He also credited former Leicester team-mate Jamie Vardy for helping him become a better striker.
Cannon said he likes to play “off the shoulder” and on the “front foot”, adding that Vardy has had a big influence on that.
“He’s one of the best at it, if not the best,” said Cannon. “Growing up, I used to watch clips of him, and to be there with him in training was a bit mad at first, but you get used to it.
“I became good mates with him but it was good that he was there to learn off and just add little bits from his game into my game. It’s only going to improve me.”
