Peter Taylor admits he’s got enough grey hairs.

But he reckons working with James O’Brien will guarantee plenty more.

The Irish bundle of energy is an eager pupil on the training ground and rarely gives the City boss a moment’s peace.

“He’s hard work,” laughed Taylor. “Whatever I say, he turns round and does the opposite.

“He could end up making me look greyer with more wrinkles than ever!

“But he’s a good lad and wants to do well. He’s not afraid to express himself and you can see he’s a very good player.”

Midfielder O’Brien is happy to have made an impression. Having won over one manager already to earn his first proper contract, he looks to be well on the way to convincing another.

The 19-year-old said: “I hope he likes me. We do have a bit of a laugh.

“The gaffer slags me off sometimes but I give it back. I want to learn and that’s why I ask him a few questions.

“I just love playing football, that’s what I’m over here to do. It’s done my head in the last couple of months getting over the operation.

“But I’m getting my chance now and hopefully I can take it. I know I still need to improve a lot.

“The new gaffer has been telling me in a lot more detail exactly what he wants. As long as you can run, he can teach you the rest.”

O’Brien still has to pinch himself how far he has come in the past 12 months since being shown the door at Birmingham.

The bitter blow of not landing a deal at St Andrew’s did not put him off. Rather than heading back to his Dublin roots, he vowed to make it somewhere else in the English game.

O’Brien’s faith in his own ability has been justified by his progress for the Bantams. He has come on in leaps and bounds from the young hopeful looking to catch Stuart McCall’s eye among the gaggle of trialists at Keighley’s Marley Stadium on the first morning of pre-season.

He added: “Last season I had nothing and a year later I’ve played almost 30 games.

“Obviously the nose injury didn’t help or I’d have more than that but if you’d told me when I left Birmingham that I’d play so often the next season, I’d have been over the moon.

“I told my ma when I first came over (to Bradford) that I wasn’t leaving without a contract. She believed in me and I didn’t want to let myself down.

“It’s been hard and there were times when I was staying in hotels that I was feeling it but you’re not going to get anywhere in life without hard work.

“That paid off with my first three-month contract and then the longer one but the hardest work begins now with trying to improve and stay in the team.

“I know that’s going to be just as hard but it gets more enjoyable.

“A new gaffer is always going to have his own plans. There are going to be changes before next season.

“There are no easy times now but I don’t mind that. It’s only going to help me mature as a player and a person. It’s a challenge and I certainly don’t mind them.”