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Wells’ goal was a good start but nothing more - Parkinson

Bradford City manager Phil Parkinson has challenged Nahki Wells to live up to his hype after his FA Cup wonder strike.Wells, who scored another superb long-range goal in Bermuda’s 2-1 over Barbados earlier this week, will be hoping for his first Bantams start against Rotherham tomorrow.Now Parkinson wants to see the 21-year-old, who signed a one-year deal in the summer, marry his undoubted talent to consistency.“I think his goal on Saturday has brought him to the notice of a lot of people. But he knows he’s got to do more than that,” Parkinson told the Bradford Telegraph and Argus.“It was an incredible finish but we know that he’s capable of that. He strikes a ball so well that it wasn’t a case of us thinking ‘where’d he pull that out from?’“He is a really exciting prospect for us and now we want to see him progress from that. The problem I’ve had with Nahki is that he’s been away from the building for too long because he’s been away on internationals.“We’ve told him that if he wants to carve out a career for himself then he’s going to have to commit (to us). He did that last week after we spoke to the Bermuda FA and it was well worth him staying.”The ex-Dandy Town man came to City’s attention through the RIASA transatlantic academy, set up by former City winger Mark Ellis.Ellis has championed Wells’ cause since he signed for Carlisle United last season but believes it’s important the striker doesn’t get carried away with his FA Cup heroics.He said: “I’m made up for him but Nahki can’t get carried away. He’s got a long way to go and he hasn’t started a full game yet.“But I’ve seen him score four or five goals like that. It doesn’t matter what level you’re playing if you can strike that sort of shot.“When Peter Jackson was here, I said he should give Nahki a go and he started laughing and asked tongue-in-cheek if I was on a commission! Then he left and Nahki scored in the next game against Barnet.“Two goals doesn’t make a player but he’s shown what he can do if he keeps working hard.”The laconic Wells has always believed in his ability to make the grade in the muck and nettles of the English game.“Football is football and you do what works in the situation you are in,” he said. “I haven’t really felt any pressure since I’ve been in England. The pressure of the fans is probably the toughest because you want to do well to please them.”