Fulham youngster Cauley Woodrow is happy to bide his time at Southend for the rest of the season – and take his chances when he returns to Craven Cottage.

The 19-year-old did his prospects no harm with a winner for the League Two outfit at AFC Wimbledon on Boxing Day, and better still is aware academy chief Kit Symons is monitoring his progress back in west London.

“It was nice to get the goal. I’m enjoying it here at Southend and the players and staff is good to me and I just want to play as many games as possible. I’m here until the end of the season,” he said.

“Kit just wants me to do well and get as many games as possible. We’ve spoken and he’s been to a couple of games as well.”

Talented Woodrow also has fingers crossed his parent club claws its way out of Premier League relegation places under the new management team of Rene Meulensteen and Alan Curbishley.

“They’ve got great reputations and I hope Fulham do well under them,” he added.

Woodrow smiled at the thought of usurping the likes of Dimitar Berbatov when he gets the chance at Craven Cottage, but reckoned his time would come.

He said: “I’m still young and hoping to get as much experience as possible at Southend, but it would be nice to challenge (Berbatov). We’ll see.”