Ruiz is a Brolly good Swing

Hotshot Bryan Ruiz

FULHAM’S £10million new boy Bryan Ruiz is set to make his Premier League debut today . . . hailing England’s so-called “Wally with the Brolly” as a hero.

As far as the Costa Rican striker is concerned Steve McClaren, the man England fans still love to hate, is up there with Muhammad Ali.

Ruiz said: “To me he is the greatest. The best coach I have ever played under. What he did with me and FC Twente is legend.”

Ruiz scored 36 goals in 61 games after the former England coach lured him to Dutch side Twente from Gent.

It was a four-minute Ruiz hat trick against Sparta Rotterdam, the fastest ever in Holland, that persuaded Fulham boss Martin Jol to sign him. And Ruiz admits one of the main reasons he joined Fulham is because Jol reminded him of McClaren.

Ruiz said: “I know Mr McClaren’s reputation went down somewhat after England but I wouldn’t be where I am today if it hadn’t been for him.”