John Barry Nusum is tipped to be one of the stars of the US A League this season.

The former Wolves striker debuted with Atlanta Silverbacks last year, making the difficult transition from college soccer to the professional ranks.

With one term now under Nusum's belt, coach Brett Mosen believes the 22-year-old will have a big say in what happens to the Georgia-based side this time around.

Nusum, who has attracted the interest of other teams around the league but looks set to honour the remaining two years of his contract, played in 28 games last season as the Silverbacks lost out in the first round of the play-offs. Atlanta went down 3-2 on aggregate to the Richmond Kickers in September, with Nusum scoring in the 2-1 second leg defeat.

In total the Bermudian played for 1,456 minutes, scoring six goals and having two assists. He had 46 shots and committed 38 fouls in that period.

“He had an excellent season,” said Mosen. “He is certainly a player who has got great ability. He has settled in well. With most young boys who come in from college, they have had a good college career but the pro game is totally different. I think just by having that year under his belt he will be a different player altogether.

“He knows what to expect and where he needs to be, whereas coming in from college these boys don't really know what the level is like and what is expected of them to play at that level. He is well aware now and I see great things for him this season.”

Mosen said Nusum was a model pro.

“He is a quiet lad and a nice kid - sometimes too nice,” he said. “There wasn't a bit of arrogance about him. He just got stuck in and did what he was asked to do. He is very coachable, he listens and he listened to the players around him who had a bit more experience.”

Nusum started life as a striker but as his opportunities were restricted by the form of other players, Mosen asked him to adapt to a less familiar position.

“Last year we played John wide on the right near the end of the season and he was outstanding. He is so strong and powerful, but for a big boy he has quick feet as well, he is very skilful,” Mosen said. “When you get a boy with his kind of power running at full backs they don't know quite how to handle him.

“He is versatile. He can play out there on the right or up front. When we played against Dallas in the Open Cup he started up front and had Steve Morrow (former Arsenal defender) marking him. Steve is a very experienced player but John Barry gave him a very hard time.”

Nusum was more than happy to take on his new role, but his self-confidence had to be built up over time.

“I think he was just happy to be in the team. At first he was a little bit unsure of what his role might be out there,” said Mosen. “But he learned quick and the more he was playing out there the more confident he became. The main thing that was a shock to him was the amount of work you have to do in that position. But he did his defending and did well and adapted to the position as the season went on.”

Mosen said he did not believe there was too much wrong with Nusum's game.

“I don't think there is anything specific that he needs to work on,” he said. “The main thing with him is getting games under his belt on a regular basis and being consistent.

“The game against Dallas was by far his best performance. He was outstanding and that was playing against some experienced players. But then there were times when his game would be up and down. He would come in and wouldn't be the same player, he wouldn't be as involved as he was in previous games.

“I think it's just consistency more than anything else. He's a good player and we know what he can do, it's just can he do it on a daily basis?”

Changes in personnel mean Nusum, a freshman last year, will be one of the older heads when the season kicks off in April.

“We have made some changes here and are looking to bring in some younger players and, as a result, John will probably be one of the more experienced ones, even with just a year under his belt. So we are looking at him playing a major part in the season this year,” Mosen said.

That kind of assurance was bound to have been a factor in Nusum declining the overtures of league rivals over the close season.

“Last year a lot of teams were interested in John,” Mosen added. “They all saw what he could do. I think a lot of them were surprised when we did put him out wide on the right and were quite shocked with the ability he had.

“There is always interest and people were asking ‘Are you happy with him?' and ‘Do you want to keep him?' He was on a high priority list with some of these teams.

“But I am happy with him and I think he has great potential and see him going much further than the A League.”

Atlanta open their season at home to Pittsburgh on April 26.