Grounded Eagles is no wild child

It has not been a good week for high-profile young footballers. Jermaine Pennant's fall from grace, coupled with the equally unsavoury off-field activities of Manchester United youngster Mads Timm and former teammate Callum Flanagan, have heaped more shame on the game.

Nineteen years old and richly talented, you half expect another United player, Chris Eagles, to fit the stereotype of the brash, flash lad whose performances don't quite match his ego. But the signs are Watford's on-loan midfielder is avoiding the excesses that reeled in some of his peers.

"He is a very likeable lad, quite naive in many ways. He is not at all streetwise," Watford manager Ray Lewington said ahead of tonight's Championship game against Nottingham Forest.

Eagles has a mature outlook on the pitfalls facing young footballers. "The sentences they gave [Pennant, Timm and Flanagan] were a warning to everyone," he said.

"My mum and dad have given me advice and so have the United coaches. I've never drunk anyway and fast cars are not my cup of tea. I've always thought if you are good enough, you can enjoy the rewards at the end of your career."

Born in Hemel Hempstead, Eagles joined Watford as a trainee, then moved to United when he was 14.

The right winger's dazzling skills helped United win the FA Youth Cup in 2003 and he made nine appearances for the first team before being loaned out to Watford for three months.

Injuries to senior midfielders Paul Devlin, Neal Ardley and Brynjar Gunnarsson have given Eagles plenty of opportunities during his loan spell. He was given the man-of-the-match award in Saturday's 3-2 defeat by Coventry and Lewington has been impressed with him.

Lewington said: "He is an exciting player and has done very well. He is pacy, can dribble, run with the ball and take players on. He can get in the box as well.

"The great thing from our point of view is that he has really worked hard. His work-rate has been phenomenal." The Championship has been a steep learning curve for the lightweight teenager.

Eagles said: "It is a lot more physical and the players are a lot bigger. In the Premiership you have to be clever and size isn't so important.

"One of the reasons I came away [from United] was to get fitter and stronger, which you only get from playing week in, week out."

Tottenham have been linked with a move for Eagles but he added: "I just want to concentrate on Watford for now and then get into the United first team. I want to be a United legend."

Striker Heidar Helguson and midfielder Gavin Mahon are both expected to be fit to face Forest.

Tonight (7.45 unless stated) - Champions League, 1st rnd, 2nd leg: AC Milan v Man Utd, Chlesea v Barcelona, Lyon v Werder Bremen. Championship: Burnley v Leicester, Sheff Utd v Crewe, Watford v Nott'm Forest. Div 1: Bournemouth v Blackpool, Hull v Hartlepool, Port Vale v Colchester. Div 2: Rochdale v Northampton.