28th February – Lee Carsley

Lee Carsley may not have been the flashest of footballers or made the most headlines but he was certainly a very consistent and reliable player for every team he played for.

The 41 year old is currently the development manager at Brentford and will be passing on his experience and knowledge to the younger players at the club. With everything going on at the club it will be good if he sticks around so there is some consistency there and not too many changes for the younger players. The midfielder will also have a lot of contacts in the game which will help him out if he ever wants to become a manager himself.

Carsley started his career at Derby County and spent seven years at the club, showing his talents and becoming a very reliable player even from a young age. He went on to play over 150 games for the club in all competitions and his form convinced Blackburn Rovers to spend £4.5 million on him in March 1999. He only spent one full season at the club but he was once again impressive and rather surprisingly he ended it as the club’s top scorer and ended his time there with 11 goals in 47 league games.

In December 2000 he moved on to Coventry City but this once again was only a short stay as he only lasted 14 months at the club before moving on Everton for £1.4 million. His first two seasons at Goodison Park were not spectacular and he hadn’t quite fulfilled his potential there until the 2004-05 season when he became one of the most important members of the team. With Everton now playing with a holding midfielder, Carsley fit the system brilliantly. In December 2004 he then became an Everton legend by scoring the winning goal in the 200^th Merseyside Derby against Liverpool and helped the club finish fourth in the Premier League.

Unfortunately injuries struck and Carsley missed a lot of football over the next few years. Despite getting offered a contract extension he decided to leave the club at the end of the 2007-08 season after playing 166 league games for Everton. Carsley then joined hometown club Birmingham City and was given the captain’s armband and it turned out to be a successful season as they won promotion back to the Premier League and he was named their Players’ Player of the Year.

However, he could not show everyone that he was still good enough for the Premier League because of more injuries and he left the club in July 2010 signing for Coventry City. He was once again made club captain but after just 25 league appearances his contract ended and he became a coach at the club soon afterwards. Since he has worked at Sheffield United and Brentford.

The final word can go to Aidy Boothroyd who signed him for Coventry. “Lee has a track record as a winner. He is a leader and knows what is required to win on a regular basis. I want Lee to be the glue that binds the team together because he has talent, experience, physical presence, pace and, obviously footballing ability.”

27th February – Jonjo Shelvey

Jonjo Shelvey is a player with incredible talent and he is going to be a very important player for Swansea City until the end of the season and for the next few years.

The midfielder is only 23 but he seems to have been around for a very long time and some people have criticised his development as he could have been a regular in England’s midfield by this point. Shelvey has a lot of talent and will definitely add to his one England cap but he definitely needs to add more consistency to his game if he is going to be one of the best players in the country.

Shelvey started his career at Charlton Athletic and became the youngest player to ever play for the club in April 2008 after making his debut as a substitute against Barnsley at the age of 16 years and 59 days. He would also go on to become the club’s youngest ever goalscorer after finding the back of the net against Norwich City in January 2009. On his 17^th birthday he signed his first professional contract and was quickly known as one of the most promising youngsters in England. After 49 games and eight goals, Shelvey joined Liverpool and made his debut in their shock defeat to Northampton Town in the League Cup.

In his first season he played 21 times for the club but on the 30^th September 2011 he joined Blackpool on loan and scored the following day in a 5-0 win over Bristol City and a few weeks later he would score his first professional hatrick against Leeds United. Due to injuries at his parent club he was recalled after six goals in 10 games for Blackpool. Just before the end of the season he scored from 30 yards against Chelsea in a 4-1 win and was rewarded with a new long term contract for his performances over the season. However, he only lasted one more season at the club.

On the 3^rd July 2013 he signed for Swansea City and was involved in a very eventful game against former club Liverpool soon afterwards. He scored and assisted teammate Michu’s goal but was also responsible for both of Liverpool’s goals in a 2-2 draw. Since he has been quite consistent and an important member of the Swansea team but a regular criticism of him is his disciplinary which manager Garry Monk has tried to get out of his game. He was sent off against Everton on the 1^st November 2014 and then should have seen red again on the 29^th December in a game against Liverpool.

A lot of people do forget how young Shelvey still is and he has a lot of time to develop and will be a fantastic player for Swansea for many years to come.

The final word can go to Garry Monk. “His quality is there for everyone to see – his passing, the way he moves with the ball, how he offers good angles and movements and fits into defensive shape. Performance-wise, he’s capable of running a game, grabbing it by the scruff of the neck and really dictating it.”

26th February – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer might have been known as a super sub during his time at Manchester United but he was a lot better than just that and arguably could have scored even more goals in his career.

Now 42 he is trying to become known as a good manager but after getting relegated with Cardiff City from the Premier League and not being able to challenge for promotion he now has some rebuilding to do after a successful spell in charge of Molde in Norway. ‘The Baby Faced Assassin’ was feared whenever he was on the sidelines as a player and he will be hoping that in the future other teams and managers will have that same fear when he is giving instructions from the dugout.

Solskjaer started his career in Norway with Third Division side Clausenengen and as a 17 year old impressed in the Otta Cup with 17 goals in just six games. In his five years at the club he averaged more than a goal a game and in 1994 he scored 31 of Clausenengen’s 47 goals in the Second Division. Ahead of the 1995 season he signed for Molde and scored 20 times in his first season in the top flight and then followed this up with 11 goals in the first 12 games of the following campaign which led to a lot of speculation about his future.

On the 29^th July 1996 Solskjaer joined Manchester United and would quickly become known as one of the best Premier League bargains ever. After coming on as a substitute he scored six minutes into his debut against Blackburn Rovers and would go on to finish the season with 18 league goals. The striker was lethal off the bench and was always capable of grabbing important and memorable goals, especially during the 1998-99 treble winning season. Famously the Norwegian scored the stoppage time winner against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and will forever be a Manchester United legend because of that moment.

Despite a fantastic goals to minutes ratio he never became a regular until the 2001-02 season but this was really the only time he was first choice as a striker as afterwards he was either dropped back to the bench or played on the right wing. He proved to himself as a right winger and was intelligent enough to still score a lot of goals from this position. At the start of the 2003-04 season he was first choice in this position but an injury against Panathinaikos kept him out for several months. When he returned he helped the club win the FA Cup but had to undergo surgery in the summer and missed the entire 2004-05 season.

More injuries would keep him out of action and when he scored against Charlton Athletic on the 23^rd August 2006 it was his first league goal since April 2003. He went on a decent run of goalscoring form afterwards and ended the 2006-07 season with 11 goals which was quite impressive. However, his career ended on a slightly negative note as his final game was the 2007 FA Cup final which they lost to Chelsea 1-0.

As a manager he won the Norwegian Premier League title twice with Molde as well as the Norwegian Football Cup. Solskjaer will be hoping that he gets another chance in England and can show everyone his ability.

The final word can go to Alex Ferguson. “It was obvious that his desire was to be a coach but more than that it was a desire to be the best you can be. I’m very lucky that he never complained. I don’t think any other player of that quality would have stood for it. He had that fantastic patience.”

24th February – Kevin O’Connor

One club players don’t come around too often and Kevin O’Connor has progressed right from the youth team at Brentford to now being part of their coaching staff.

He is only 33 but it seems like he is focusing on the next stage of his career as he has had limited playing time this season but he will be happy to still be involved at Brentford. They are definitely a team on the up despite the uncertainties around the managerial position. Since signing for the club he has played in every position and is currently fourth on Brentford’s all time appearance list.

O’Connor first signed with Brentford as a striker and after a run of 23 goals in 30 reserve games he was given a professional contract in 1999. He went on to make his debut on the 15^th February 2000 as a substitute in the Football League Trophy defeat to Exeter City and went on to make his first start in a draw with Wycombe Wanderers a few days later. An injury slowed his progress and he had to wait over a year to score his first goal in a 2-1 win over Bristol City.

After Steve Coppell became manager in 2001, O’Connor became a regular in the side and made 32 appearances helping his club reach the playoffs, unfortunately they were beaten in the final by Stoke City. New manager Wally Downes was impressed by his performances and he was an ever present in the side for the following campaign and was now seen as a winger and contributed nine goals.

During the 2004-05 season O’Connor was moved to right back and was given the captain’s armband on the 19^th October against Hartlepool United. The season again ended in disappointment as they were defeated in the playoffs, this time by Sheffield Wednesday. He would go on to suffer even more heartbreak in the playoffs in the 2005-06 season but he did manage to score eight times in 38 games. Even worse was to follow as the club were relegated in 2007 after finishing bottom.

Relegation meant another position change for O’Connor as he played predominantly in the centre of midfield in League Two. He started off well in his new position by scoring goals against Notts County and Barnet in August 2007. But he only added one more goal over the course of the season as the club finished midtable. In the following season Brentford won the league and O’Connor was awarded a new contract. He was impressive once again in League One and made 49 appearances over the season and was given a testimonial at the end of the campaign.

The 2010-11 season was the last one that he featured regularly for the club as injuries stopped him from playing. But he was on the pitch for one of the most exciting endings to the season ever against Doncaster Rovers in the final game of the 2012-13 season. Brentford were awarded a penalty in the last minute and Marcello Trotta took the ball off O’Connor but missed the spot kick and Doncaster ran down the other end and scored, winning the game 1-0 meaning Brentford and O’Connor had to go through the playoffs. Once again they failed to get promoted after losing against Yeovil Town.

Finally in the next campaign they would get promoted to the Championship and on the final day of the season O’Connor made his 500^th appearance for the club. Since promotion he has not played a league game but he has been an important member of the coaching staff, helping the team challenge for the playoffs and will be needed now more than ever with Mark Warburton expected to leave in the summer.

The final word can go to Mark Warburton. “Kevin has seen so much change at the club and yet has maintained his exceedingly high standards throughout and it is this outstanding quality that we need to keep at Brentford. I am delighted that Kevin O’Connor will be extending his stay at the club.”

23rd February – Gareth Barry

Gareth Barry has been one of the most consistent players in the Premier League but with Everton not being at their best this season it has been difficult for him to influence games as positively.

The midfielder is now 34 and currently holds the record of picking up the most yellow cards in the Premier League and reached 100 against Stoke City on Boxing Day this season. He will be hoping that he and his club can end the season strongly or it will be seen as quite a disappointing year for everyone involved after such a good season last year and maybe Barry will be one of the players that will be getting dropped from the starting 11.

Barry has had an interesting career and even before he had played a professional game he was involved in some controversy after he left Brighton for Aston Villa along with Michael Standing and Brighton were demanding £2.5 million. But the deal went through after a tribunal set the fee and Barry went on to make his debut on the 2^nd May 1998 against Sheffield Wednesday on the left side of a back three alongside experienced duo Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu. Over the next few years he was seen as a versatile player that could fill many roles, after playing centre back for a while, he moved to left back then left midfield and finally to the centre of midfield. This was his best position and it wasn’t long before he was named club captain.

He spent 12 years at Aston Villa and is currently ninth on their all time appearance list but in 2008 it seemed like it was unravelling and after several bids from Liverpool it looked like he was leaving. Despite getting the captain’s armband taken off him he did stay at the club for another season and after an injury to replacement captain Martin Laursen he was given the armband back in January 2009.

On the 2^nd June 2009 he did eventually leave the club after 441 games and 52 goals and joined Manchester City. This was a surprising move in a way as he said he wanted Champions League football and at the time City were not in the competition. He made his debut on the opening day of the season against Blackburn Rovers and would go on to score his first goal not long afterwards in the incredible 4-3 defeat against Manchester United.

Over the next two seasons things got better for both him and the club as they lifted the FA Cup and Premier League with Barry being one of the most consistent players in the squad. The next was not so successful as they failed to defend their Premier League title. After 175 games for the club he was on the move once again and joined Everton on a season long loan on the 2^nd September 2013.

On his debut for Everton he was named man of the match after helping his new team to a 1-0 win over Chelsea and later in the month became the 10^th player to make 500 appearances in the Premier League. He formed a great partnership with James McCarthy and completed the most passes over the course of the season for Everton as they amassed a club record 72 points. At the end of the season his contract expired at Man City and he joined Everton permanently.

The final word can go to Roberto Martinez. “Gareth is a model professional. He sets high standards in everything he does and that is the perfect model you want for your young players. We enjoyed having him as a loan player, but we will be enjoying him even more knowing he is an Everton player.”

18th February – Bobby Robson

Bobby Robson has gone down as one of the greatest managers ever after an excellent career but more importantly to him he went down as one of the few genuine nice people in the world of football.

There isn’t anyone that says a bad word about Bobby Robson and he is loved all over Europe after managing in Portugal, Holland, Spain and England with most clubs he was at holding him in a very high regard. It is very rare for someone to be loved as much as him by all football fans and everyone will remember him for a long time to come.

Robson started his career with Fulham in 1950 as an inside forward and spent six years at the club playing 152 games and scoring 68 goals before moving to West Brom for a club record fee of £25,000. He finished as the club’s top scorer during the 57-58 season was also given the captain’s armband but in 1962 he returned to Fulham. His second spell lasted five years and in 1967 he joined Vancouver Royals as player-manager.

He only spent a year in Canada before returning to Fulham for a third spell, this time as manager. He could not save them from relegation and was sacked in the following campaign. But he was given a chance by Ipswich Town in 1969 and he would build one of the best teams ever seen at the club. After four average years he led the club to fourth place in the First Division and won the Texaco Cup during the 1972-73 season which was the start of something special. For the next nine seasons they only finished below sixth once but in that same season they won the FA Cup so that made up for it.

His reign at Ipswich lasted 13 years and he even won the UEFA Cup in 1981 but even more remarkably during his time at the club he only signed 14 players and made up the rest of the squad with players that came through the youth team. These achievements landed him the England job and it is fair to say that he has been one of the most popular England managers ever. But it could have been so different after he offered his resignation after England failed to qualify for Euro 84. He didn’t have much success in the Euros but his record in World Cups was very good as he led England to the quarter finals in 86 and were only beaten by Diego Maradona’s Hand of God goal and a bit of magic from the Argentinean. But in 1990 after being hated by many sections of the media he went closer than any other England manager to winning the trophy and reached the semi finals before being beaten on penalties by West Germany. On arrival back home the team and manager were cheered and nobody wanted Robson to leave the job.

Robson had already accepted a job offer from PSV after the FA told him they weren’t renewing his contract before the World Cup. While in Holland he won the league title twice before moving to Sporting Lisbon in 1992, where he hired a young Jose Mourinho to be his interpreter. After a decent first season in which the club finished third, he had took them to the top of table but was surprisingly sacked. Rivals Porto were quick to appoint Robson and they went on to beat Sporting in the Portuguese Cup final and would go on to win the title in the next two seasons.

After his success in Portugal he made the move to Spain and joined Barcelona and he led them to the Spanish Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup but was moved upstairs into a general manager position after just one season. He only spent one more year in Spain and returned to PSV for a short spell before he finally came home.

Newcastle appointed Robson in September 1999 and he turned the whole club around right from his very first home match. They went on to beat Sheffield Wednesday 8-0 with Alan Shearer scoring five goals. In just over one season he took Newcastle from bottom of the table to qualifying for the Champions League, finishing fourth and then third in the next campaign. Such was the turnaround that a fifth place finish was disappointing in his final full season in charge.

Robson was sacked after a slow start and every Newcastle fan will agree that the club haven’t been the same since and the fans still love him today. Unfortunately aged 76 on the 31^st July 2009 he passed away and the news was very hard for most to take that followed football including players, coaches and fans.

The final words are difficult to choose because of how many good things were said about Bobby but Alex Ferguson summed up everything by saying. “I was never too big or proud to ask him for advice which he gave freely and unconditionally. And I’m sure I’m speaking for a lot of people when I say that. There is not a person I would put an inch above Bobby Robson. Always a smile, always a friendly word with never a mention of his own problems. The world, not just the football world, will miss him.”

17th February – Marvin Sordell

If Burnley want to stay in the Premier League they really need someone else other than Danny Ings to step up and score some goals, Marvin Sordell could well be that man.

He hasn’t been given that many opportunities this season with the form of Ings and also Ashley Barnes putting in a good shift for the team but the striker has proved in the past that he can find the back of the net. Confidence could be playing a big part and if the 24 year old can get his first goal for the club then he may just go on a run and be the difference between them getting relegated and staying in the top flight.

Sordell started his career at Watford but got his first taste of professional football on loan at Isthmian League club Wealdstone, hitting the back of the net twice in five games. In the following season he made his debut for his parent club after coming on as a substitute against Sheffield United on the 15^th August and 10 days later he scored his first goal for the club in the League Cup defeat to Leeds United. However, after few chances in the team he was loaned out again, this time to Tranmere Rovers where he played eight times, scoring once. Before the end of the season he would score his first league goal for Watford in a 4-0 win over Coventry City.

At the start of the 2010-11 season he started eight of the first nine games and scored five times. He ended the season with 15 goals despite having to battle with Danny Graham and Troy Deeney for a starting spot. The goals kept coming for Sordell and he was linked with moves to the Premier League after getting to double figures again. On the 31^st January he joined Bolton Wanderers and made his debut on the 4^th February as a substitute. Unfortunately he didn’t get much game time and only made a further two substitute appearances before the end of the season.

With Bolton now in the Championship he was expected to lead their attack and scored his first goal for the club on the 24^th August 2012 in a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest. But he failed to establish himself in the first team and despite goals in the FA Cup he didn’t get much chance in the league. At the start of the 2012-13 season he joined Charlton Athletic on a season long loan and would score eight time while at the club, including a hatrick against Sheffield Wednesday.

Sean Dyche has always liked Sordell and signed him for newly promoted Premier League side Burnley but he so far hasn’t managed to score his first Premier League goal. He hasn’t been given that many minutes on the pitch to show the fans he deserves a place in the side but did manage to grab a goal in the FA Cup defeat against Tottenham Hotspur.

The final word can go to Chris Powell. “Marvin’s goalscoring record is good. He can score all types of goals with both feet and he’s a lad who has got pace, and has got a real eye for goal. He’s definitely one who will sniff chances out and come alive in the box.”

16th February – Ron Vlaar

Tim Sherwood has a big challenge in keeping Aston Villa in the Premier League but more importantly for them it looks like they will have their captain Ron Vlaar available for the run in.

Although it is scoring goals that has been the major problem for the team, having their captain back will still be a big boost and it will make Sherwood more confident in his back four. Vlaar had been having a great season before getting injured and that was coming off the back of a great World Cup with Holland and therefore has been linked with moves away, mostly to Louis Van Gaal’s Manchester United. He would not look out of place at Old Trafford but he doesn’t seem to be distracted by these reports and will surely be as consistent as ever from now until the end of the season.

The defender now 30 has plenty of experience and started his career at AZ making his debut at the age of 20 on the 32rd April 2005 against RKC Waalwijk and then played a few days later in the semi final of the UEFA Cup against Sporting Lisbon. It was expected he would become a first team regular in the following season but this didn’t happen and he only played 10 games in total for AZ before leaving for Feyenoord on the 28^th December 2005.

In his first half a season at the club he played 16 times but an injury in the following preseason meant that he had to sit out the first half of the following campaign. But after recovering he did become an important member of the side and scored his first goal against FC Utrecht. Once again though his development stalled after being ruled out for most of the 2007-08 season after surgery on a cruciate ligament injury. He returned to training but picked up yet another injury and missed another season.

After two years on the sidelines he came back and scored a great goal in the KNVB Cup against Harkemase Boys on the 24^th September 2009. His performances began improving and was getting more praise from everyone and during the 2011-12 season he helped Feyenoord qualify for the Champions League after they finished second in the Eredivisie.

But on the 15^th July he joined Aston Villa, however the deal initially seemed like it wouldn’t be completed after he returned to Holland. After another turn of events he did eventually join the Premier League club on the 1^st August. Shortly after he was named captain due to the continued absence of Stiliyan Petrov. He went on to score his first goal for the club in the 6-1 win over Sunderland with a 30 yard strike and his second goal was even more spectacular in the 2-2 draw with Wigan Athletic.

The club know how important he is to the team and how much he helps the younger players in the squad so they need to keep hold of him if they stay in the top flight and help them become more than a team that battles relegation.

The final word can go to teammate Andreas Weimann. “Ron is our captain so everyone knows he’s important. Ron was always our leader and captain. He’s always been vocal and the player we look up to in the changing room. There are definitely signs that he has grown in confidence even more since the World Cup in Brazil.”

15th February – Heurelho Gomes

Heurelho Gomes might have been ridiculed for his time at Tottenham Hotspur after some high profile mistakes ruined his reputation but he is slowly starting to rebuild that now at Watford.

At the age of 34 it could be argued that his best years are in front of him and he will be doing his best to keep Watford in the promotion race and hopefully get promoted back to the Premier League. At the weekend he was involved in one of the best games in England with his side defeating Bolton Wanderers 4-3. Despite conceding three times he pulled off some fantastic saves and is quickly becoming a fan favourite at the club.

Gomes started his career in Brazil with Cruzeiro where he played 59 times between 2001 and 2004 before being scouted by teams in Europe and in July 2004 he joined Dutch side PSV. At first there were people who doubted his abilities but after a difficult debut in which he conceded twice against RBC he became one of the most consistent goalkeepers in Europe. In his first season PSV overachieved and reached the semi finals of the Champions League and they were very unlucky not to reach the final that year. Previously PSV hadn’t even qualified for the Second Round of the competition.

He was definitely a fan favourite and was well known for his acrobatic saves and long throws which set off a lot of attacks for his side. He spent four seasons at the club and played 129 league games but on the 27^th June 2008 he left for Tottenham Hotspur. Gomes’ early form was very patchy and he conceded very soft goals against Aston Villa and Fulham leaving Tottenham in the relegation zone. But he did improve and made some important saves in the win over West Ham and the 0-0 draw with Manchester United.

In the following campaign he was more solid and played a key role in helping Tottenham finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history. But the competition wasn’t a happy one for Gomes as he was sent off in 10 minutes in the game against Inter Milan. Later in the competition he also made a mistake against Real Madrid which effectively ended their chances to progress.

With more errors to follow, it seemed like the managers had lost patience with the goalkeeper and firstly they signed Brad Friedel which meant Gomes had to spend long periods on the bench. Then he slipped even further down the pecking order after Hugo Lloris was signed so in January 2013 he signed for Hoffenheim on loan. On his debut against Freiburg he made some crucial saves and helped his side to a 2-1 win. His season was ended prematurely by injury and he had to undergo hand surgery.For a full season he sat in Spurs’ reserves until his contract expired and he joined Watford on the 24^th May 2014.

The final word can go to Harry Redknapp. “He is a great character, a lovely man, a fantastic fella and a top goalkeeper. He has been fine in training. Gomes is top class, when he is on his game he is a great goalkeeper.”

14th February – Christian Eriksen

Christian Eriksen has been one of the best players in the Premier League this season and there is no doubting that he is quickly becoming one of the best playmakers in the world.

At the age of 23 he has a lot of experience and playing in big games and has never been fazed by the pressure. This season it seems as though whenever Spurs need a goal they turn to him and he rarely disappoints. He has almost everything in his game and with the way the team are playing now under Mauricio Pochettino they may even reach the Champions League. The worry may be what will happen if they don’t qualify for the main European competition as there will surely be interest in the summer.

Eriksen looked like a fantastic player from a very young age and was linked with some very big clubs around Europe but he decided to join Ajax so he could have more first team opportunities and was promoted to the first team squad in January 2010. Within a month he made his debut against NAC Breda and his performances drew comparisons to former Ajax legends Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder and Michael Laudrup. By the end of his first season he had played 21 times for the club and scored once against Go Ahead Eagles in the Dutch Cup.

For his fine form he was given the number eight shirt at the start of the next season. He became a very important member of the squad and helped the club win the title for the first time in seven years and on a personal level he won the Dutch Football Talent of the Year. In the following campaign he won the Danish Footballer of the Year but after winning the title three years in a row he decided it was time to leave the club with one year left on his contract. In total he played 113 times, scoring 25 goals and providing 41 assists.

On the 30^th August 2013 Eriksen joined Tottenham Hotspur and on his debut he set up a goal for Gylfi Sigurdsson against Norwich City. His first season was very good in the Premier League and was really the only Spurs signing of the summer that turned out to be a success. He finished with seven goals and most of them were crucial including the second in a 2-1 win over Manchester United.

This season he really has gone on to another level and will be hoping to lift his first trophy at the club after he helped them reach the League Cup final with an amazing free kick against Sheffield United and added another later on in the game. He has already surpassed his goals record from last season and many of these have been last minute winners.

The final word can go to teammate Jan Vertonghen. “As a playmaker, I think he can be one of the best in the Premier League. He’s first in training and he’s on the pitch until the last minute and I’m a big fan of his. Christian can be one of the better players Spurs have ever had. He can score and get assists as well – and he’s a very hard worker.”