OWEN Coyle has no qualms about blooding fearless teenager Josh Vela in the heat of the relegation run-in.

The 18-year-old Academy graduate, who has been with Wanderers since the tender age of seven, is on standby to replace Nigel Reo-Coker in the heart of midfield in tonight’s crunch clash with Tottenham.

Brief cameos against Swansea and Sunderland have hinted at the Salford youngster’s talent, already well known to those who have tracked his progress in the youth and reserve set-ups.

“We know he’s destined for a big future and he stepped into the arena as if he’s played there all his days,” said Coyle. “So if it’s time for Josh to start then so be it. He has that youthful exuberance, that energy, that desire, and on top of that he has natural ability.”

The Wanderers boss is keen to start promoting from within the club’s ranks and has already brought the likes of Jay Lynch, Adam Blakeman, Joe Riley, Michael O’Halloran and Rob Lainton into the first team picture.

But with the Whites scrapping for survival, the manager would dearly love to name “Steady Eddie” Reo-Coker in his starting line-up against Spurs tonight.

The 27-year-old central midfielder has been an ever-present in the Wanderers first team this year, starting 34 of their 35 league games.

He took the captain’s arm-band when Kevin Davies was injured and has been an important leader during what has been a testing season for the Whites.

“Nigel is everything I thought when we brought him to the club,” said Coyle. “He has that drive, that determination, which is exactly what we need at this stage of the season and in the position in the league that we’re in.

“He had a leg injury against Sunderland, but Nigel being Nigel he wanted to carry on. He wanted to play through it, but I just had to take him out of the firing line.

“Knowing Nigel, he will do everything he can to make himself available, but also we have to make sure that he’s 100 per cent. If he’s anything less in that midfield area it wouldn’t help us, so we have to make sure he’s bang on and ready to go.”