Chairboys chief Gareth Ainsworth reckons Max Kretzschmar can be the man to take Wycombe forward.

He now sees the former midfielder as a striker and played him in that role as Wanderers went out of the JPT Trophy on Tuesday with a 2-0 defeat at Bristol Rovers.

The boss said: “I think Max is a forward player more than a midfield player. He’s a bright spark and his movement and touch is very good. He is still learning that position.”

Kretzschmar has previously supplied six goals from midfield and he should have marked his first game as a striker with a goal as well when he fastened on to Aaron Amadi-Holloway’s through ball but fired the wrong side of the post.

Ainsworth said immediately after the game: “I thought he did ok tonight. He was a threat, he got in behind them a lot. He’s got a couple of positions in the bag but I see him more as an attacking player.”

And the home-grown talent is happy with his new role.

He said: “Growing up I have always been an attacking midfielder but the gaffer sees me as a forward now and I really enjoy that role and think I prefer it.

“But I’ve got a lot to learn about this position and I’ve got to learn quickly because I want to score goals and help the team.

“I’ve scored a few from midfield. I got six in my breakthrough season from there but I want to improve on that.

“I just need the opportunities and I need to get my head down to get that first team spot.”

And he says he could not have better people to learn from as he bids to carve out a career as a goal-grabber.

He said: “With Paul Hayes and Garry Thompson they’ve got 100-plus goals which is brilliant for me to learn off.

“I was asking Paul for advice before the game and Garry came up to help me as well and those wise heads’ tips really helped me. I practice my finishing a lot and I really enjoy it.”

The 21-year-old has had a stop-start career since breaking into the Blues side.

Last season illness halted his progress as he battled an enlarged spleen.

He said: “I felt ok to play but the doctors said I couldn’t risk it. It was very frustrating being out for three or four months.

“This season I wanted to really hit the ground running but got a little ankle injury the day before the first game of the season but now I feel like I am getting back to where I want to be and I just want to help the team in the league now.

“But I’ve got to play myself into the team first. We’ve got a good group of strikers here with different shapes and sizes and I’ve got to nail down that first team spot now.”

And he said of his first competitive experience as a frontman: “I felt I should have scored a couple. Aaron did brilliantly for me he had gone on a brilliant run and slipped me in at just the right moment and I snatched at it a bit. I knew what I wanted to do but didn’t connect with it as I wanted but hopefully with more games I will take the next chances that come along. I snatched at that one but I’m confident I will score in the future.

“I haven’t got any goals targets other than wanting to get that first one under my belt and who knows what will happen from there.”