Paul Doyle reckons fellow Dundalk newbie Steven Bradley is going to have a massive impact this season.
Scottish winger Bradley signed for the Lilywhites on a season-long loan from Hibernian and the teenager scored on his Premier Division debut in last week's opening 2-2 draw with Derry City.
"You could see from last week he's a top player, he has a lot about him and he'll be big going forward," said Doyle, who signed in the close season from UCD.
"He took his goal excellently and he showed that little spark that he has, and long may it continue."
Dundalk twice took the lead at home to Derry and Doyle, who along with Bradley was one of eight newcomers in the hosts line-up, felt it was a bittersweet start.
"It's obviously disappointing when you go up in a game twice to finish with a draw but there's lots of positives to take from it, you can see we can create chances and score goals and hopefully that will be an ongoing theme," he said.
"There's a lot of new faces but you can see that quality throughout the squad, it bodes well for us.
"It's probably a smaller squad than had been here previously but you can see right throughout there's quality and it doesn't really matter who is called upon, everyone has the quality to give us something."
Next up for Dundalk is a visit to sold-out Dalymount Park tonight to take on Bohemians, who make their own season bow after last weekend's trip to Sligo Rovers was postponed.
"It's a different challenge and you have to meet it face to face, it's like a first game of the season again because they didn't play last week," remarked Doyle.
"We just have to keep going up levels week to week, it's not about rising for our first game of the season, we have to improve every week, so we have to go up another notch against Bohs and see where it takes us.
"I'm sure they'll be well for it with their first game, it might be a bit tense for the first 15 minutes but most games are like that, you have to earn the right to play."
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