If Richard Chaplow has a stocking on the end of his bed on Christmas Eve, he will be hoping it is bulging with Junichi Inamoto-style videos when he wakes from his slumber on December 25.
West Bromwich Albion's 20-year-old midfielder has found himself down the pecking order and has made only two Premiership starts this season, the last being against Blackburn Rovers in October.
Since Chaplow arrived at The Hawthorns in January, he has learned that patience is a virtue, as the confident youngster has only started five top-flight games under manager Bryan Robson.
After appearing 73 times for Burnley by the age of 19, including a starring role in the 1-0 FA Cup victory over Liverpool, the ubiquitous midfielder has been on a steep learning curve at Albion. However, if Chaplow is frustrated, then he can draw solace from Inamoto's change of fortunes.
The Japan international looked to be on his way out of The Hawthorns last season and was loaned out to Cardiff City.
Robson handed Inamoto a video in the first month of the season to pinpoint areas of concern and he patently spent h ours poring over the contents.
It has paid rich dividends as he starred in Albion's Carling Cup victory at Fulham and hasn't looked back, delivering a string of commanding performances in the engine-room.
And Chaplow, with his tongue firmly in cheek, wondered whether it might be time for a video of his own.
"I speak to the gaffer all the time and ask him what I need to do to improve my game and what I need to do to become a regular in the team," he said.
"He has told me what I need to do now and hopefully I can work on it in training and that might get me a crack of the whip.
"He hasn't made a video yet, but it looks like it worked for Inamoto, as he is firing on all cylinders at the moment and is one of our best players. Maybe I should go in this week and ask the gaffer for a video!
"Since I've arrived at Albion, I have been in and out of the team, but this is probably the longest absence I have had.
"I haven't been involved for a few games and it is hard coming straight from Burnley after having played pretty much 70 games on the spin.
"It is hard to get your head round it, but you have to buckle down and hopefully I can kick on this year and start progressing very soon."
Chaplow is one of four bright young things brought to Albion in the past 12 months by Robson. He arrived for £1.5 million, and has since been joined by Darren Carter (aged 22, £1.5m), Curtis Davies (20, £3m) and Nathan Ellington (24, £3m).
It was a calculated gamble that is paying rich dividends, as Davies and Ellington are at the forefront of Albion's relegation battle.
Carter and Chaplow have had to be content with more bit-part roles, but Chaplow has found a willing confidante in a player at the other end of the age spectrum, Steve Watson.
The thirty-something has been around the block with Newcastle, Aston Villa and Everton, and Chaplow is collating as much knowledge as he possibly can from Watson.
"I am trying to improve and I am still trying to listen to the experienced players who are helping me along, such as Kevin Campbell and Steve," said Chaplow.
"They are whispering words of advice in my ear and I have to take it on board and hope-f ully turn it into a performance.
"Steve has been a great help since he has come to the club and I have got on really well with him.
It is good to have someone there who you can have a laugh and a joke with but, when you need to look for advice, you know that if it is coming from him it is going to be sound advice.
"The man has seen it and done it all in football, as he has been playing top-flight football for God knows how many years." ..SUPL:
