Burnley midfielder Graham Alexander has praised Everton manager David Moyes, crediting him for rescuing his career.
The 38-year-old has made over 900 professional appearances and played under Moyes during his time at Championship side Preston North End.
Alexander: "At Luton, I became cynical and disillusioned. I lost the one thing I thought I could never lose - the fire in my belly."
The veteran then moved to Preston, a move he regards to have rescued his career.
"I had this little chip on my shoulder and I felt that he picked on me all the time,"
"He said I wasn't fit enough, didn't do enough when the other team had the ball and when we reviewed games on video, it was always my mistakes that were highlighted"
"I said to him one day, 'Why do you pick on me?' and he said, 'If I didn't think you had it in you, I wouldn't even talk to you.'"
"Then one day he showed me a clipping of an interview he'd done for a Scottish newspaper where he said I should be in the Scotland team."
"I was shocked. Seeing that in the paper, I thought, 'He actually rates me, he really rates me.' Then everything made sense and everything changed."
The 38-year-old has made over 900 professional appearances and played under Moyes during his time at Championship side Preston North End.
Alexander: "At Luton, I became cynical and disillusioned. I lost the one thing I thought I could never lose - the fire in my belly."
The veteran then moved to Preston, a move he regards to have rescued his career.
"I had this little chip on my shoulder and I felt that he picked on me all the time,"
"He said I wasn't fit enough, didn't do enough when the other team had the ball and when we reviewed games on video, it was always my mistakes that were highlighted"
"I said to him one day, 'Why do you pick on me?' and he said, 'If I didn't think you had it in you, I wouldn't even talk to you.'"
"Then one day he showed me a clipping of an interview he'd done for a Scottish newspaper where he said I should be in the Scotland team."
"I was shocked. Seeing that in the paper, I thought, 'He actually rates me, he really rates me.' Then everything made sense and everything changed."
