Danny Wilson admits the past year has surpassed even his wildest expectations but acknowledges there is still plenty of work ahead if he's to establish himself at Anfield.
An incredible debut season in football saw the 18-year-old help Rangers to a domestic treble and earn himself the SFA and Football Writers' Young Player of the Year awards in the process before Liverpool swooped to snap him up on a three-year deal last month.
And though understandably ecstatic at the path his career has taken so far, Wilson is well aware breaking into the Reds' first team could prove to be his biggest test of all.
"There's being patient and there's sitting back and accepting it," he said. "I want to push myself into the first team at Liverpool as quickly as I can but it's the manager's decision.
"If you ask any player if they feel they're ready to play, they'll say yes and I'm no different. If the manager feels I need more time, I'll accept it and work even harder to get into the side.
"My aim for the season is to get games under my belt and be there or thereabouts. I'm in with the first-team squad right now and I plan to stay there. The training is different but it's something I'm enjoying. There's a lot of defensive focus on it and that will benefit me - I'm only 18 and need to keep learning."
He added: "As a kid, you always have dreams of playing in England for a big club but that's just your imagination. For it to happen in 10 months after my debut is incredible.
"It's more than I hoped for but I don't think I've made it yet. It's important to stay grounded - my family would never allow me to get ahead of myself.
"I want to keep progressing and be the best player I can be. I'll only do that by working hard and not becoming an idiot."
With the likes of Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Sotirios Kyrgiakos already at Anfield, Wilson accepts racking up the appearances may prove easier said than done, particularly in his maiden campaign in the Barclays Premier League.
However, a move to Anfield was one the centre-back simply could not turn down.
"I would have been happy to stay at Rangers had Liverpool not made an offer," said Wilson. "But once I knew they were interested, the thoughts going through my head were that it was a chance I wanted to take.
"It was an offer I felt I couldn't turn down. Rangers are a massive club but so are Liverpool. They're a top club and the offer to go there doesn't come up every day. I didn't want to think in a few years' time, 'I could have gone there'. I wanted to challenge myself and not worry that it might not happen for me."
Wilson is one of several players to have upped roots and left Ibrox this summer, but he's predicting a successful 2010-11 term for Walter Smith's men.
He said: "They've lost a few players but they'll still be the strongest team in Scotland next season - I have no doubts about that.
"That's simply because of Walter's influence and the players they've managed to keep. I still think they can see off Celtic this season."
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