ALEX Rodriguez Gorrin’s hunger to improve gives him a great chance of becoming a big hit at Oxford United.

That’s the view of Des Buckingham, who knows both player and club inside-out.

The 34-year-old, who is in charge of New Zealand’s under 20 and 23 sides, spent a decade in the U’s academy.

He went on to join Wellington Phoenix’s coaching set-up in 2015, where the A-League club’s squad included Rodriguez Gorrin.

Buckingham went on to work with the midfielder across three seasons, including one as boss.

And he only has good things to say about the 25-year-old, who left Motherwell last month to sign for the U’s.

He said: “You talk about players being coachable and he’s one you love to work with.

“He played in every game he was available for me.

“From the moment he walked in the building he’d go into the activation room and all you could hear was him booting balls off the wall to get his touch right before we went out for the warm-up.

“He was very meticulous in his preparation to give himself the best opportunity to make sure his performances were as good as possible.

“Alex is just so keen to learn and will do everything he can to improve his game.

“He’s a good passer of the ball. He’s physically quite big, so he’s certainly able to compete physically and I think that will stand him in good stead.”

The Tenerife-born midfielder left New Zealand in 2017 and arrived in England via spells in Portugal, Romania and Scotland.

But he sought out a reference from his former head coach after hearing of United’s interest.

“Alex was certainly sold the city and the club,” said Buckingham, who was speaking from Samoa where his under 23 side are playing at the Pacific Games.

“I’ve had some good experiences of both, so that was all he was ever going to get from me.

“I’m glad to see he’s got himself a very good club.”