Paul Caddis knows James Forrest better than most.

On the park he was a team-mate, off it he was his best mate.

And the former Celtic defender is sure the 19-year-old has the ability to become a star at Parkhead.

The Ayrshire duo came through the Hoops’ youth ranks together before their friendship became a long-distance one as Caddis departed for Swindon Town in a bid to find regular first-team football.

It is an ambition that Forrest has achieved in the opening weeks of the season under Neil Lennon.

He has already found the scoresheet after netting in the 4-0 rout of St Mirren and gained experience on the European scene against Braga and Utrecht, with his speed and direct style of play ingratiating him to the masses, and to boss Lennon.

“I was with James for pre-season at Celtic and he did really well,” Caddis said. “We played against Man Utd and I saw him in the Emirates Cup as well.

“I know the manager really likes him so hopefully he can kick on and become a regular in the first-team this season.

“I came through the youth ranks with him. The two of us were quite close, he is from Prestwick and I am from Kilmarnock.

“I am delighted to see him doing so well for himself. He is very quick, he is an old-school type winger. He just wants to get past defenders and put the ball in the box.

“He doesn’t have the tricks that Aiden McGeady does, he is just straight past the defender and looking to create a scoring chance.”

The emergence of Forrest this season has been an unexpected fillip for Celtic in particular and Scottish football in general.

Alongside Hibernian, Motherwell and Dundee United, the Parkhead side have already fallen out of continental competition, leaving Rangers as the sole Saltire bearers in Europe.

It has prompted another debate about the standards of the Scottish game but Caddis reckons the panic button has been pressed too soon.

Success on the international stage might ease the pressure and that is what he and his Scotland Under-21 team-mates hope to achieve.

They kick off a double-header against Belarus and Austria tonight requiring four points from six to move closer to qualifying for the European Championships for the first time in 14 years.

Caddis said: “We have just got to take each game as it comes and see how we go.

“Scottish football has been taking a bit of a beating recently.

“It is maybe a bit unfair because there are a lot of talented boys here. James has broken into the Celtic team and Danny Wilson has signed for Liverpool.

“We don’t take any notice of the critics, we just focus on our football.”